Gaikokujin
by SerenNoir
Summary: Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU.
1. Chapter 1

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Gaikokujin

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter One**

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**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: This is something I thought up pretty much overnight. It's an alternate universe or else me throwing these kiddos all over the continents wouldn't have made sense. I don't know much about the Southeastern part of Asia and its countries and I'm pretty much relying on what I've learned in school and the trusty internet. If there's anything I may get wrong, and I'm sure I will, please bring it to my attention so that I may fix it. This is a NaruSasuNaru but there may be other pairings present as well. I'm going to try my hardest to keep on top of this story so it doesn't get run into the ground or forgotten. Without further ado, let's get started on **_**Gaikokujin**_**, shall we?**

**Mood Song: Meer Sein by Silbermond**

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_Day One_

_Osaka, Japan - Nha Trang, Vietnam _

_Kriiissshhhhh_

A slow-building tick carefully took residence in Sasuke's left eye. Of course, out of all the luggage he decided to choose as his carry-on, he had to get the faulty one. Sasuke realized it was just probably the synthetic mesh at the bottom of the suitcase catching on the wheel, but no matter how insignificant the problem was, it still annoyed him.

Lately, everything had been pissing him off. For starters, this damn trip. He had tried to convince Suigetsu, his partner in their firm and long-time friend, that a trip like this was not going to relieve the stress that the equally-wealthy businessman claimed he was wrought with. How could a month-long trip traipsing through Southeast Asia, most of the time on foot, with thirteen complete strangers not cause some sort of stress in and of itself?

Besides, he was wealthy enough to be able to afford his own vacation to someplace a bit nicer than the suspicious "adventure of a lifetime" where they probably would have them sleeping in hammocks and eating giant centipedes and other sorts of weird insects.

Sasuke wasn't used to roughing it, having been brought up in a home with a standing income and after his parents died, his inheritance along with the money he got from running his own law firm kept him up there with the big fish. That was probably the reason his luggage counted up to a grand total of seven; there wasn't a chance in hell he was going into this unprepared.

A quick glance at his Prada cell told him that he had less than ten minutes to get through the gate and find a seat before his plane left. After giving his ticket to the attendant at the gate, he made his way down the gangplank and up to first class. There were a few open seats in the middle and Sasuke settled down in the one next to the window after storing his luggage in the compartment above him.

He could hear the rustling and chattering from the back of the plane and wished he had bought earplugs with him. Was it not possible for people to board the plane without sounding like a bunch of apes in captivity?

"Really? I get to ride first class? Suh-weet!" Sasuke heard in English from behind the curtain that blocked first from second. Suddenly, a tall boy came bouncing through, immediately glancing around for a place to sit.

_Shit, the seat next to me is the only one that's open. And I actually thought I was going to be able to spend this flight without anyone pestering me._

As if the stranger could read his mind, he scooted down the aisle and plopped himself in the aisle seat, shooting a quick grin at Sasuke. Quickly, like he was a piece of meat in a market, Sasuke sized the boy up. He was probably a year younger than him, if not the same age. He didn't look Japanese, if the tousled brown hair, peach-colored skin and chestnut eyes proved anything.

Yet Sasuke was thrown for a loop when the boy suddenly spoke in perfect Japanese. "You speak English?" Sasuke nodded, hoping that he could get the quick few introductions out of the way and get back to ignoring everyone else on the plane.

"Phew, that's good," the boy sighed, switching back to English. "I've lived in Japan for three years now but the language is still sometimes hard for me t'get. They ran outta seats in coach so that's why I'm up here. Fuck, where are my manners? I'm Kiba Inuzuka," Kiba blurted, holding out his hand.

"Sasuke Uchiha." The boy's handshake was actually firm and confident, something he hadn't expected but then again, after being hit with this kid's personality, he should have known it would be.

"So, where ya heading?" Kiba continued, picking up a magazine that was labeled Kansai Aiport, Osaka, Japan from the seat between them and quickly flipping through.

"Nha Trang, Vietnam," Sasuke mumbled, wishing that he hadn't introduced himself in the first place. The last thing he wanted to do was pretend to shoot the wind and indulge this boy with a conversation. He just wanted to kick back, play around on his laptop, and listen to music.

"Really? I'm heading there, too. It's some adventure trip thing I was invited along to. We're 'posed to be hiking through all of the southern part of Asia--"

"Wait, you're going, too?" Sasuke interrupted, his stomach filling with dread. Looks like he was going to see much more of this boy than he would have liked to. Kiba shot him a knowing look and grinned broadly.

"A whole month. Ya really think you can hold out? You don't seem like the type to get ya feet muddy."

Sasuke knew Kiba hadn't meant what he said rudely, but he was still piqued that a stranger was guessing what he was and wasn't like. "Your accent is annoying; where are you from exactly?" he asked in a very clipped tone.

Despite the obvious insult, Kiba smiled and rolled his eyes playfully. "Alabama. I guess even three years learnin' your language doesn't erase the hick in me, does it?"

Sasuke allowed the ghost of a smirk cross his features until he remembered who he was. Quickly whipping out his palm pilot, he scrolled down the list, making it seem like he was suddenly absorbed in his work. Luckily, Kiba caught the subtle hint.

"Okay, I see that you're a busy man. I'll leave ya alone, Princess," Kiba snorted before removing the headphones from the back of the seat and putting them on, tuning in to the in-flight movie that was playing.

Sasuke cast his eyes sideways, softening slightly when he saw that Kiba's own eyes were beginning to droop in exhaustion. He felt a prick of regret for acting short with the man. After all, like Sasuke himself, he was only trying to get ahead in the world.

And sometimes you just have to be nice.

* * *

The first thing Sasuke was hit with when he stepped off the plane was how mild the climate was. He had expected Nha Trang to be sweltering and humid, yet it was cool and there was even a light breeze blowing. He noticed that Kiba was trailing sleepily behind him and he figured it was just as well, he could probably use some help locating the tour guide that was supposed to be picking them up.

Kiba whistled lowly in the back of his throat, eyeing the mass of luggage standing around Sasuke's feet like a little army of black, ready to defeat the evils unknown.

"Are you seriously bringing all that?" Kiba sputtered out, holding up his own three bags of luggage to prove his point.

Sasuke barely paid him heed. "Shut up. Now, who is this person we're looking for?"

"I think his name is Neji, or at least that's what this paper says. He's Laotian…where's that at?"

"Laos…it's one of the places we're visiting, dumbass," Sasuke mumbled back half-interested, finally spotting with relief a man at the other end of the terminal with a sign that read: _Welcome Nha Trang Adventure-Seekers!_

With little difficulty, he managed to drag his bags towards the tall man, not really paying attention if Kiba was following him or not. Judging by the sounds of the other's heavy-booted footsteps, he figured he was.

First impressions of Neji were immediately dispelled when the man lifted his head to acknowledge the two. Sasuke was hit with how light blue the other man's eyes were, almost edging into a pale violet. It seemed Kiba also noticed because he let out a low whoop next to him, shamelessly gawking at Neji.

"Dude, are those natural? Very cool, man."

Neji regarded Kiba with a emotionless look and turned his attention to Sasuke. Sasuke quickly bowed politely and offered up his name along with Kiba's who settled into an awkward little arch of his back, clearly not accustomed yet to the proper Japanese way of greeting someone.

"We have to wait for four more people to arrive and then we'll be on our way," Neji finally spoke up in English, his accent smooth yet heavy. His long bistre-colored hair gently swept over his sides as he sat back down, and Sasuke thought hair like that must have been hell to keep.

Almost an hour later, Sasuke was awoken from his doze by the sounds of footsteps close to him and Neji greeting them one by one. There were two men, also Japanese by the looks of it, standing near them and Sasuke briefly caught the names that were being thrown around. The tall, lanky fellow with a high ponytail was named Shikamaru and his heavy-set friend, who was currently munching on a bag of airport chips, was Chouji.

A shriek was suddenly heard from across the terminal and everyone turned towards its source.

"Naruto Uzumaki, you better give me back my cellphone this instant!"

Said boy came sprinting into view, a hot pink iPhone held above his head, out of the owner of the shriek's reach. Sasuke's gaze barely flickered over the male but instead decided to settle on the shapely figure of the young woman jumping up to retrieve her phone. Next to him, he could hear the collective murmurs of appreciation of all the men in the group.

She was beautiful, in the cat-walk model sort of way. Long platinum blonde bangs cascaded over her shoulder and the rest was pulled up into a high ponytail. Her cheekbones seemed like they were carved into her face and her Carolina blue eyes were thickly rimmed in smoky coal, playing up the light spattering of freckles across her cheekbones.

"Ah, Ino Yamanaka and Naruto Uzumaki, I'm glad you decided to join us finally," Neji deadpanned, sweeping his arm in the direction of the rest of the group. "Now we can finally get going."

As they collected their luggage and made for the exit of the airport, Sasuke noticed Kiba quickly sidling up next to Ino, shamelessly attempting to flirt.

"So Ino, where ya from?" he questioned.

"I'm originally from Texas but I moved to Sacramento about two years ago," she replied sweetly, flipping her bangs out of her face. "I'm glad I was lucky enough that Naruto was able to come along, too. So, you know, I won't be too shy around all these new people."

Kiba laughed charmingly and shot her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure that we'll all make you feel right at home. Pretty soon, you'll notice that the jungles of Asia start to look a lot like the palms trees of California."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and gave a sharp tug to the only suitcase in his possession that was giving him trouble. The left wheel was jamming up and not spinning, probably due to the mesh plastic he never got around to fixing.

"Here, let me," a voice said from behind him and he glanced backwards as the boy, Naruto he believed his name was, quickly unhooked the mesh from around the wheel and giving it a test spin to see if it worked.

Once satisfied, he stood from his crouch and smiled proudly. "There you go. I can imagine how annoying that must have been getting. That's why I try to avoid anything that has wheels," he continued, pointing to the single overstuffed backpack on his shoulders.

"Thanks," Sasuke mumbled, knowing he had to be polite even though he was starting to get tired of being around all these people. He figured if he was going to be spending the next month of his life with them, he might as well get to know some of them. Naruto was a maybe an inch shorter than Sasuke with bright blonde hair , deep steel blue eyes, and a set of a trio of scars across his cheeks. Aside from that, he was totally uninteresting.

"So, you and Ino are friends?"

"Yeah. Well actually, my girlfriend and her are best friends," Naruto replied, taking his cell phone from his pocket and flipping it open. Set as the wallpaper, there was a picture of a woman lying on a bed, with Naruto resting over her shoulder, his chin on the top of her head.

She wasn't beautiful in the same way Ino was, but she was cute, despite that her hair seemed a chemically-induced shade of pink, her forehead was a bit large compared to the rest of her proportions, and though the picture was blurry Sasuke could see that she was small-chested.

"She's pretty," Sasuke murmured, trying to make it seem like he cared. He quickly flipped over to his own cell phone when it gave a short buzz, signaling a new text message.

_Having fun yet? - Suigetsu_

Sasuke's fingers clenched around the phone and he shoved it back into his pocket lest he accidentally break it. _A month_ he kept telling himself. _Only a month till I can go home and file this little 'vacation' under bad memories._

* * *

Two hours later, after a particular bumpy car ride through the backroads of Nha Trang, they arrived at _Green Leaf Travel of Southeast Asia. _Sasuke stared at the bamboo-covered shack; there wasn't exactly a better name for it. If this was what the headquarters looked like than it also gave him a brief look into how run-down the rest of their accommodations were going to be. Sasuke seriously considered drowning himself in the nearest river for a split-second before he sobered up and remembered he was an Uchiha.

Of course, like Fate has it, the next thing he saw completely slapped the shit off his face. A blur of green came bounding out of the front door, flashing a smile bright enough to produce its own radiation.

_Oh, this can _not_ be our tour guide._

Sasuke was taken aback by the tall man, dressed from head to toe in varying shades of green. Large, tight, flare-legged forest green pants wrapped around his legs, complete with an olive tank top and a dark green hiking vest over that.

"Welcome friends!" the man boomed out in a heavy Vietnamese accent. "Are you ready for the adventure of your lifetime, one that will rival all that you've experienced before? This trip will test your limits and your youth and once it's all said and done with, you'll be a better person because of it!"

Sasuke winced at the deep, bellowing voice after the man ended his proclamation of "eternal happiness". The group was quiet, not sure how to respond to the overly-excited guide.

"Gai, chill out. You're going to scare them off," a lilting voice spoke from behind him before stepping into view. A tall Chinese girl ambled down the stone steps that led up to the hut, the silk fabric of her shirt stretched tight over her chest. She lazily ran a thumb through one of the identical buns on the top of her head and sighed heavily through her nose.

"I'm Tenten and aside from Neji, I'm probably the most sane guide you'll find on this trip. Ignore Gai and his son, Lee, they're just overly-exuberant."

Gai pouted childishly at the mention of his bursting personality, turned and called for his son. Sasuke did a quick double-take to see the boy dressed exactly as his father, right down to the flared-leg denim pants. A sharp, twisting formed in his head and he patted his pockets helplessly, hoping he had thought to bring some sort of aspirin.

"They sure are something, huh?" Naruto spoke quietly from next to him, hoisting his heavy backpack higher up on his shoulder. "I overheard a moment ago from Neji that there's going to be four more people heading out with us but one's flight got delayed and the other three are coming in all the way from Thailand. Some sort of royalty, at that."

Sasuke glanced askew at the boy. Despite being someone he could quickly dislike, Naruto did have good observation skills and he knew when to listen when he had to, a trait Sasuke admired in most people.

"So! Has everyone gotten their luggage ready? Just about," Gai barely glanced at his watch, "thirty more minutes and we'll all be ready to disembark on the adventure that will send you through the perilous jungles of Southeast Asia!"

Shikamaru snorted under his breath but the low sound was easily heard after the group once again went silent after hearing Gai speak. "Tch, it all seems such a hassle when you put it that way. If you had told me beforehand, I probably wouldn't have come."

As Gai started to reason with the tall Japanese boy about how beneficial it was to be on this trip, Sasuke sighed heavily and slapped a palm to his face. Naruto noticed the action and chuckled to himself.

"Attention Nha Trang visitors," he announced in a deep voice, "welcome to the green and humid side of Hell."

He smiled behind his fingertips, wondering exactly what he was putting himself through. After it was all said and done, Suigetsu would be lucky if Sasuke never speaking to him again was the most of his worries.

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**Author's Note: First chapter completed! So, any constructive crit you can give me on this, I'll be more than welcome to take into consideration. More importantly, should I continue this? Because it had hit me overnight, I wasn't sure if I had a plot good enough to build up and work with. **


	2. Chapter 2

_**Gaikokujin**_

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Two**

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**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture._

**Comments: Three words: This is fun. **

**I think I got enough reviews and alerts and favorites in my inbox to be able to say I should continue this and actually be successful. I've also noticed that everyone's names are traditionally Japanese and not American, Thai or Vietnamese. Just bear with me and play along; I can't exactly change those. :D A special thanks to **_**Anime Yaoi Lover**_** for pointing out a scatter-brained typo I had in the first chapter. **

**Mood Song: Miseria Cantare by AFI**

**Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Day One_

_Nha Trang, Vietnam - Dha Nang, Vietnam_

The lone person whose flight was delayed turned out to be a cousin of Neji's, a shy, reserved girl with long, violet hair and a curvy figure. Hinata was her name. She was very pretty and Sasuke noticed that a lot of the men in their group took immediate interest.

This angered him for some reason. Being a male himself and subject to the common stereotype that all men were dogs, his fellow gender members weren't doing much in the way of redeeming themselves. He didn't even know the girl but he could tell by Kiba's long-eyed drool, he felt the need to protect her.

The Thai royalty were a whole different story. Before they even stepped out of their stretch limo, the kind that Sasuke wondered briefly how it made it through the terrain of the road that led them here, he knew that he was finally meeting someone of money.

The first to step out was a total bombshell; tall, curvy and sensuous. If he was an any lesser person, he was sure his eyes would have bugged out of his head. The aura she gave off was predatory and he knew immediately that this was no girly-girl but a tomboy through and through. Even if she did carry herself well as a lady.

The next out of the vehicle was male and by his features Sasuke could tell that he was related to the woman in front of him. The man was built, a trait that he quietly envied, himself being of the lean, lithe stature. The man's dark eyes scanned the crowd before him, looking thoroughly bored with it all.

The last to step out of the vehicle was redheaded and surprisingly shorter than his siblings, yet there was just something about him that made you immediately aware that he was the one in charge. Although being skinny, he also gave off the same predatory aura his sister had, except ten times as stronger.

"Ah, finally. The last three people to arrive and consequently, the ones we've been waiting for," Gai cried out in his untimely manner. "Now, this adventure can finally begin! After introductions of course… Now, now, let's not be shy. We'll all go around the group and say our name and our place of origin."

Being the over-achiever that he was, Kiba waved his hand in the air to start and then it proceeded clockwise.

"Kiba, Inuzuka. Alabama in the States but I'm living in Tokyo for the time being."

"Nara, Shikamaru. Kobe, Japan." His eyes drooped in boredom and a hand was thrown over the back of the neck, probably in the effort to keep his head from lolling due to jetlag.

"Akimichi, Chouji. Kobe, Japan." Sasuke wondered how he got that out around a mouthful of crackers. Did this kid ever stop eating?

"Maito Gai! The wonderful country of Vietnam!" He winced.

"Rock Lee. Country bursting with youth, also Vietnam!" Another wince.

"Tenten. China. Living here in Vietnam." Could someone sound any more bored and laid-back?

"Hyuuga, Neji. Laos." Straight-forward and professional, just like he probably always was.

"Hyuuga, H-Hinata. Laos." Adorable stutter.

"Uchiha, Sasuke. Sendai, Japan."

"Ino, Yamanaka. Sacramento, California in the US." A bit ditzy but still cute as hell.

"Kankuro. Hat Yai, Thailand." This was said around the quiet conversation he was holding on the other end of his cellphone.

"Temari. Hat Yai, Thailand." Her inky teal eyes swept the crowd before her mouth settled into a holier-than-thou smirk. Sasuke liked this chick.

"Gaara. Thailand." Okay. That had no emotion in it at all.

"Um, my name's Naruto Uzumaki. I live in Texas. United States."

Sasuke furrowed his brow at this. Naruto was clearly Japanese by his features, excluding the blonde hair and blue eyes, so why would he say he was originally from the US? Sure, it was possible that he might have been born a US citizen but wouldn't he still have brought up his heritage regardless?

Naruto caught him watching him and raised an eyebrow curiously. Sasuke quickly glanced away and watched Gai race back and forth from the little building with his own luggage. The bus they were going to be traveling in was absolutely ancient, much worse than the cars they took down from the airport. It resembled an old safari van with large bucket seats, -the leather peeling away from the foam-, and open sides all around except up near the driver.

Sasuke quickly batted away the thought of the millions of germs contaminating the vehicle and wondered briefly what the royals would think of the accommodations. Clearly, they didn't mind because Gaara was already boarding the van, picking out a seat at the back to slouch on and gaze unseeingly out at the trees. Weird guy.

Consequently, seating arrangements were pretty much first come, first serve, and Sasuke winded up _somehow _sitting next to Naruto himself. He had originally opted to sit next to Ino, just because, but he saw Kiba pout when he thought no one was looking and figured some guys deserve a break every once a while.

Naruto shot him a half-assed attempt at a friendly smile before turning back to his cell phone, fingers flying at mach speed against the touchtone buttons. Whoever he was texting had to be really impatient because as soon as his fingers rested for a moment, a sharp vibration shook the phone and a new text message popped up on the screen.

"Who're you talking to?" Sasuke questioned, confused at himself for being the slightest bit interested.

"Sakura. She's my girlfriend; the one I showed you the picture of," Naruto replied, not glancing up from his phone. After a few moments, he stopped and slid the phone into his lap and turned his attention to Sasuke.

"So, what do you do for a living?"

Sasuke blinked, not accustomed to people asking him who he was. His name was well-known in Japan, even if you have never visited the country. "I work at a firm as CEO."

Naruto gave a long gusty sigh and rolled his eyes. "Politician?" he whined, giving Sasuke a look that made the man's insides squirm in irritation. Despite the fact that wasn't even what he was.

"No. I'm a lawyer. I work in a law firm."

Naruto actually looked pained this time. "A stiff? Ah, that's worse. You should have lied and stuck with politics."

Sasuke gave a snort of annoyance, fingers gripping the seat in front of him till the knuckles turned white. Who was this kid to make fun of what he chose to do with his life? How dare he!

"You know, I was kidding, right?" Naruto murmured, amused. "You shouldn't take things so seriously. It has to make life pretty boring for you, don't you think? If you just let go and flow with what comes along, you'll find that you're going to be a lot happier than you were."

"You're starting to sound a lot like our hair-brained dumbass of a tour guide, you know?" Sasuke snapped impatiently.

Naruto gave a short, barking laugh before slouching in the seat, knees pressed up against the faded green leather of the one in front of them. "He seems happy enough in life being who he is."

"Why did you say you're from Texas?" Sasuke questioned suddenly, remembering what Naruto had said earlier about being born there and not bringing up his Japanese ancestry.

"Because…that's where I'm from," he replied, a confused expression flitting across his features.

"But you're Japanese. Why didn't you bring that up when we were going around and introducing ourselves?"

Naruto's face quickly morphed into something uncomfortable and he actually seemed a little put-out that he was being asked this particular question. "The only thing Asian about me is my name and my grandmother, okay? I'm an American, born and bred. I don't consider myself Japanese at all and I don't like when others do."

Sasuke wanted to ask why but it seemed this kid had a temper like a fuse on him and he figured it was best not to upset that delicate balance, Naruto being the only one so far he could tolerate for extended periods of time. The boy next to him slumped lower in his seat and resumed texting on his cellphone.

Sasuke sighed quietly and watched as Gai went through a mental checklist for everything they had, looking a bit stressed. The only sound that could be heard on the van was the crinkling of a potato chip bag as Chouji devoured them in front of him.

They were about to take off on the so-called adventure of their lives and no one seemed particularly excited to do just that.

* * *

About an hour after passing the line of Nha Trang, Sasuke was immediately hit with the humidity that pressed around them. Naruto didn't look the slightest bit uncomfortable but then again, he did live in Texas so he was probably used to this sort of heat.

Every so often, he glanced at the back of the van to make sure all his luggage was intact. Gai didn't seem surprised to see it all when everyone else made a point of teasing him about it. For that, he was eternally grateful. If something went wrong, Sasuke was prepared. Not like the rest of them.

Naruto's only backpack sat between his feet on the floor and Sasuke glanced over it, noticing the tears and rips, most of which that were covered in duct tape.

"Don't you think it's time for a new backpack?" Sasuke questioned playfully, wanting the boy to go back to the carefree mood he was in when Sasuke first met him.

Naruto glanced at him, the first time he'd done so in two and a half hours. He almost seemed startled that Sasuke was still sitting next to him. Smiling crookedly, he wrapped his fingers around the shoulder strap. "I've had this old thing for forever. It just seems pointless to get rid of it now."

Sasuke blinked back at him; that explanation didn't make sense at all. Then again, Naruto himself didn't make much sense either. Sasuke could tell that during this trip, he would be making two steps forward and Naruto would take twenty steps back.

It's not like Sasuke really wanted to be friends with him, not used to having to make them in his life. People who he had met either loved him or hated him. The only reason he had gotten lucky with Suigetsu was that they grew up together from early childhood, trailing behind their fathers on the golf course.

Quite frankly, people irritated him and Naruto was no exception to that. He was people. Yet, he wanted at least someone to understand or at least, _talk_ to him on this trip and Naruto seemed the most likely candidate. So, ignoring the oohs and ahhs of the other people around them as they took in the breathtaking scenery, Sasuke swiveled sideways in the seat, facing Naruto, and rested his elbows on either seat.

"Tell me about yourself, Naruto. What do you do for a living?" His voice surprised him; he wasn't used for it coming out sounding actually interested.

Naruto's face mirrored his for a moment before breaking out in a grin so big that Sasuke wondered if sunlight was going to start shining out of his ass.

"There's not much to tell. At least, not anything you would find interesting, Mr. Big Hotshot. Let's see, uh, I've grown up just outside of Austin for as long as I can remember. It's always been home to me and I never had that gripping urge to leave like most people my age had. I live with my grandmother, the one I told you about being Asian, remember?" He paused, trying to sort through his thoughts that Sasuke knew must be running rampant in his brain.

"She's not really my g-ma, but she's been around since the beginning so I call her that. She's a crazy old bat, regardless, and her boyfriend writes porn for a living."

Sasuke's eyebrows raised at this but he remained silent, waiting for Naruto to finish his tale so the boy could go back to breathing.

"I used to work in the oil-fields but Tsunade hated having me coming in all greasy without having money to show for it so now I'm a bartender, which I guess isn't much of an upgrade but I like the night-life."

Naruto trailed off afterwards, looking a bit sheepish. "I talk too much, don't I?"

"Yeah, you do, "Sasuke replied, "but I was the one who asked in the first place."

Naruto smiled broadly, flicking his phone open and closed between them. "Well, if that's the case, for the remainder of this trip, everything I do is your fault."

Something glinted in his eyes when he said that and Sasuke wondered just how much trouble could this boy manage to get in thousands of miles from home.

* * *

Five hours later, Sasuke awoke from his doze to see people exiting off the bus. Ino brushed against his shoulder with her hip and Sasuke was immediately aware of the soft curve of her thigh and the excited smile spread over her face. Jesus, she was beautiful.

"Where are we?" Sasuke asked, rubbing his eyes and wiggling his feet to get the feeling back into them.

"I think it's called Marble Mountains. Gai said it would be really sweet to explore. But we're going to be left behind if you don't get your ass a-movin'," Naruto mumbled next to him.

Standing with a groan and popping out the numerous kinks along his spine, Sasuke exited the bus and trailed behind the rest of the group, who were already at the base of the mountain, ready to enter the dark cave that other tourists were coming in and out of. Gai was standing out front, gesturing wildly at the splendor behind him.

"These are the Marble Mountains. We're in Dha Nang, if anyone wanted to know, by the way. All five of these hills are made almost entirely of limestone and you guessed it, marble."

"They're named after the five elements: Kim, Thuy, Moc, Hoa, and Tho. Metal, water, wood, fire, earth, respectively. There's a lot of Buddhist sanctuaries among the numerous tunnels but please don't touch; they've just recently banned the extracting of rock and marble from the caves. Any questions?"

"Sooo," Shikamaru drawled, "can we go in now? It's hot as hell out here."

Gai's face lit up with a smile and he motioned for everyone to fall in line behind him and then his body was seemingly engulfed in the darkness of the cave. The whole place was so pitch-black that Sasuke could actually feel his pupils dilating in size.

"Your eyes will get accustomed to the dark in a moment, just keep the person in front of you in reach till then," Gai called from the front of his group.

Sasuke sighed heavily and felt a squeak next to him as his fingers brushed a smooth hand.

"S-sorry," a demure voice whispered and he recognized it as Hinata. The outline of her body looked hunched over in a defensive position and Sasuke briefly wondered if it was her time of month and those were cramps.

"T-this is going to s-sound stupid but c-can I hold your h-hand?" she stuttered out again. "I have t-this thing with the dark and I don't w-want to trip."

Sasuke smiled reassuring but he doubted she could see. Gently, reaching out with his right hand, he found hers in the darkness. Her palm was soft and he could feel the little pinpricks of her nails as she tightened her grip around his fingers.

"So, is Laos pretty?" he questioned softly, attempting to break the ice and hopefully also break Hinata out of her shy shell.

"It's b-beautiful. Very green. Lots of m-mountains," her quiet voice replied and Sasuke found that he could now see most of her features and the color of the shirts of the people in front of them.

Pretty soon, the whole cave was visible to his eyes and he got the feeling that this is what it must be like for a bat all the time. It was then that he noticed the large stone temple that the rest of the group had stopped at. Hinata let go of his hand and ventured forward to explore, not frightened anymore now that she could see.

Light footsteps to his left brought Naruto to his side, startling Sasuke that the boy had been walking behind him the whole time. "She's cute," he threw in, nodding in the direction of the petite Laotian girl who was gingerly tracing a guard statue that was sitting in front of the temple.

"So is Ino," Sasuke added, throwing a rare smile Naruto's way.

"I'll kick your ass." It was said in a playful manner but it also had the underlying hint of the truth behind it. Naruto, no doubt, wouldn't like it if Sasuke pursued Ino in the way he had been thinking; she was like a sister to him.

"It doesn't matter anyways. I'm not here for a relationship. I've come to get rid of stress, not gain more of it."

"You really think relationships are stressful? That must be just you cause I seem more carefree and happy when I'm with Sakura than with anyone else," Naruto called over his shoulder as he joined the group just as Gai began delving into a tale of how the temples had been built.

Sasuke scoffed lightly under his breath. What did Naruto know about relationships? He probably wasn't really even _that_ committed to his girlfriend. Yet, something triggered in him and he felt waves of jealously sweep over his form, a feeling that was entirely foreign to him, having been given everything he had ever wanted in his life.

Why did someone as annoying as Naruto get to be so happy in life? What did some jaded American who thought he wasn't Japanese but obviously was know anyway?

"…the mountains were used by the war lords in the past to store their wealth and it was the responsibility of the monks to safeguard the treasures…," Gai's voice chimed in as Sasuke inched his way closer to everyone else.

Naruto was laughing happily at something funny Kiba had said and Ino glanced over her shoulder and gave him a look that quickly shut him up, but the hint of a smirk still lingered on his features.

Sasuke thought it was pretty clear right then. He knew nothing.

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope that the characters are developing a bit more. To all those NaruSasuNaru fans out there, this isn't going to be one of those insta-love kind of stories. Love isn't like the coffee you drink in the morning; at least not this one. But it'll get there.**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Gaikokujin**_

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Three**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture._

**Comments: When I started this story I had a feeling I would be doing more research than I normally would with any of my other stories combined. And I was right. I'm not used to treating my writing for fun like reports. Haha.**

**Mood Song: Music Box by Thrice**

* * *

_Day One - Day Two_

_Vinh Dien, Vietnam - cross-country_

The hotel they checked into later that night reminded Sasuke of a particularly flaky friend of Itachi's apartment he had crashed at once after a long night of partying. For one, there was a shortage of rooms so that meant he was stuck sharing a room with none other than Uzumaki. How did he manage snag this guy when they drew lots?

The two twin beds that occupied the small space of the room were bare of sheets, a set of torn bug-nets the only thing covering the tops of them. Everything was either layered with dust; the room itself reeking of mildew. Apparently, it didn't receive maid service often.

The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, was when a dull clunk was heard from the bathroom Naruto was in and he came out, scratching the back of his head and holding the shower knob to the hot water. Sasuke could honestly feel the pressure of a migraine rising up behind his temples like wild-fire.

Trembling with aggravation, Sasuke quickly unpacked his laptop. He had already guessed that the room had no outlets (which meant no blow-drying his hair in the morning) and he hoped his battery was charged enough to allow him to send a couple of emails.

After a particularly snarky-sounding email to Suigetsu, Sasuke felt a bit better and reclined cautiously on his bed with the computer, aimlessly surfing the web. He was lucky that he was even picking up a connection in these parts. Naruto was busy unpacking next to him and he could hear the boy swear softly as he dropped a bottle of cologne and it rolled under his bed.

A sudden yell brought his attention to the floor where Naruto was scrambling backwards out from under the bed. The boy's blonde hair was saturated in dust and his eyes shone with surprise. It took all of two seconds before he leaped onto the edge of Sasuke's bed.

"What are you doing? You almost knocked my laptop off the bed! Get off, Uzumaki!" Sasuke barked at him, quickly gripping his computer before it tumbled over the side.

"Swear to god, there is a humongous rat beneath that bed. It can keep my Axe for all I care," Naruto breathed out, trying to calm his nerves.

Sasuke glanced warily at the twin bed next to him. Rats weren't really his thing, especially big ones. "Well…why don't you go kill it?"

Naruto whipped his head around to face him, mouth dropping open. "I'm not going back under there! Are you crazy? Who knows what kind of weird jungle diseases it has! It could have bird flu!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and was in the middle of thinking up a biting remark to say about rodents not being able to have bird flu when Naruto picked up one of his shoes that was lying at the foot of his bed and chunked it at the opposite wall. Almost immediately, said rat came darting from beneath the bed and paused in the middle of the floor, black beady eyes raised towards the two men and nose twitching sporadically.

Sasuke heard a shriek erupt from his throat and he instinctively grabbed Naruto's shoulders and hauled the boy in front of him, in the form of a shield. Naruto wobbled, off-balance for a moment, before steadying his body and turning over his shoulder to glare at Sasuke.

"That girly-ass scream just about ruptured my eardrums. Y'think you could warn me next time before you go letting one of those off, hm, Jadebud?"

"Shut up. If you hadn't thrown the shoe at the fucking wall, it wouldn't have come out in the first place!"

They both turned back to look at the rat who was currently sniffing around the floor in a circle, tiny whiskers swishing away dust like a miniature broom.

"What should we do about it?" Sasuke questioned, cautiously pushing Naruto forward into a leap back to his own mattress. Naruto sunk back against the wall, rubbing his temples in despair.

"Iunno. We should probably just leave it alone and maybe it'll just…go…when it feels like it."

" I don't want it to go _when it feels like it_, I want it to go _now_," Sasuke complained in his most prissy voice. "And don't call me that little pet name you did earlier ever again."

"What one? _Jadebud?_"

"Yes, that one. Don't call me that."

Naruto scoffed quietly before digging out a blanket from his backpack. "Whatever," he muttered before lying down and turning his back to Sasuke.

"Hey-hey, what about the rat?"

"If you have a problem with it, then you shoo it away. I'm going to sleep," Naruto snapped.

Sasuke stared at the other's back for a long moment before briefly glaring at the filthy creature in the center of the room. Its pointy nose was skyward, whiskers twitching at some smell too faint for Sasuke's senses to detect. Sighing tiredly, he pulled out his cellphone and quickly texted a message to Suigetsu.

_Fuck this place. -Sasuke_

* * *

Gai's booming voice was loud. Louder still at five-thirty in the morning, roughly four hours after Sasuke finally managed to fall into a fitful sleep, awoken a number of times by a quiet scuffling he could only imagine that their furry roommate was making.

He wanted to take a shower but knew it wasn't worth the hassle of dealing with the broken shower knob, especially this early in the morning hours. He settled for getting dressed in a fresh change of clothes and running his fingers through his mussed hair, slightly oily from the amount of perspiration in it from the day before.

"Come on. Up and at 'em! There's a bright day ahead of us, full of surprises!" Gai's voice faded down the hallway and Sasuke could hear the displeasured groans and whining of everyone else that was being awoken at such an ungodly hour.

A soft groan issued next to him and Sasuke's eyes flickered over to see Naruto rousing from sleep, legs stretching out underneath the covers and fingers gripping and kneading the pillow beneath his head. A yawn came next followed by a loud smacking noise as the boy rose from the bed like a zombie and stumbled into the bathroom.

The sound of the shower turning on caused a smirk to gloss over Sasuke's fine features as he counted down on his fingers.

_Three…two…_

"GAH! Holy shit, that's cold!" Naruto stuttered out from behind the closed door and Sasuke could hear the shower curtain being pushed aside followed by the light thump of feet as he scrambled out of the tub.

The door cracked open and a dripping mass of bright-colored hair poked through, a pout on Naruto's features. "You forgot to remind me that the hot water was broken. Do you have a pair of pliers I could borrow real quick?"

Sasuke raised a lone eyebrow, in the midst of packing his laptop back up. "Do I look like the sort of guy to carry pliers around with them?"

Naruto bit his lip softly and glanced back behind him in the bathroom. "Good point." The door shut with an audible click. Sasuke was almost finished packing when a knock sounded on the hallway door and he moved to open it. Ino stood on the other side, wearing low-cut denim shorts and a light blue tank top that made the color of her eyes pop out even more.

"Hey, is Naruto done getting ready? I wanted him to come with me to see if we could grab a bite to eat before we got going today. We have about an hour according to Tenten." Sasuke glanced behind him at the still-closed bathroom door, noting with satisfaction that the shower was still going full-blast.

"He's actually in the shower but if you don't mind, I wouldn't mind going out to get breakfast with you," he smiled, leaning against the doorframe possessively, but also in a way that seemed to catch most women.

Ino blushed minutely and smiled brightly. "Sure, that'd be great!" Grabbing his wallet and his watch from behind him, Sasuke shut the door quietly, smirking to himself as he followed the fluid swing of Ino's hips down the hallway and out of the hotel.

They finally found a small outdoor venue where they sat down and ordered two bowls of _pho_, a beef and noodle broth, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Sasuke found it odd that he was eating soup for breakfast but the owner of the stand waxed graciously on how tasteful it was. It was pretty good, if not odd.

Ino sat across from him, sipping her coffee, intrigued by the story he was telling her of the rodent him and Naruto came across last night. She nodded in understanding as soon as he was finished, gulping down the last of her drink.

"Those hotels were pretty dingy. But it was nothing Naruto wasn't probably already used to. He's told me and Sakura of some really shady places he stayed at in Japan before he moved to Texas to live with Tsunade."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Wait, did you just say he used to live in Japan?"

"Yeah, pretty much most of his life from what I've heard."

"Funny, I heard different," Sasuke muttered, eyeing the dark liquid in his glass with indifference.

Ino looked confused for a moment before standing up and lying her napkin on the table. "Come on, we better get back and finish packing. We're going to be leaving soon."

Sasuke pushed back his chair, watching the taller blonde with curiosity. "Are you actually having fun on this trip?"

Ino smiled and laughed, bright eyes crinkling in the corners. "Of course I am. If you get past the low parts of the trip so far, it's actually really fun."

Sasuke highly doubted that; fun to him was winning with a landslide victory on a big case and raking in the dough that came with it.

"I know that this trip is not something you would normally enjoy because you probably have more money than you know what to do with. I guess it's one of those things where…where you have to grow up with nothing to appreciate even the smallest things in life."

Sasuke realized Ino wasn't trying to be deliberately callous but it struck a chord in him. It wasn't right to assume so much of someone, in this case so little. It never occurred to him that he was being hypocritical. The walk back to the hotel was quiet and Ino entertained herself taking pictures of the things around her.

She suddenly spun around to face him as they neared the doorway, lowering her camera to waist level and fiddling with the strap. "Naruto's had a lot of things happen to him in his life. He's not a bad kid and I thank you for trying to be friends with him. But he's not going to let you in." Her eyes darted to the ground as if she was ashamed to be saying such things about her friend. "It's nothing personal against you but it's how he protects himself. Very few people have seen the real Naruto."

The last of her words were cut off as Kiba bustled out the door, Hinata behind him, dragging a heavy suitcase. A cowboy hat hung limply in his hand before he spun and placed it on Hinata's head, whose quiet giggle caused something to shine in Kiba's eyes. Sasuke didn't recognize the look and he briefly dismissed it, turning to Hinata with a curt bow before pushing past her.

It didn't seem fair that nearly everyone appeared to be having fun on this trip except him. The door to his and Naruto's room was cracked and he didn't have the energy to think about knocking. Naruto was leaning back against the wall, dressed in a pair of loose orange cargo shorts and a white wife-beater. His fingers were flying over the buttons of his cell phone, a almost pained expression spread over his features.

Sasuke could hear Gai yelling at them from outside to hurry up and finish packing but he found that he could not move as he quietly watched the evolution of emotions cascade over Naruto's face. There was surprise, sadness and anger; a lot of anger. The boy sighed wearily under his breath and slipped his cell into the front pocket of his shorts, running a large, tan hand through his damp hair.

"We…should get going. Are you ready?" Sasuke mumbled, finally catching Naruto's attention.

The other blinked and glanced up, looking apprehensive and guarded. "Oh…yeah. I should go put my stuff in the van and get a good seat, huh?" He slowly pushed off from the bed and headed towards the doorway. But before he could leave, Sasuke gently grasped onto his elbow.

"You okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned for the first time for Naruto. He didn't know what happened over that cell phone, but he knew with certainty it hadn't been good.

Naruto nodded, biting down on his lower lip as if he wanted to say something but was holding back. He pulled away from Sasuke and left the room, leaving the door standing wide in his absence.

Sasuke quickly gathered up his luggage and rolled them out to the van, throwing them haphazardly into the back unlike yesterday when he was so worried that they were going to come flying loose.

Naruto had chosen to sit on the wide backseat this time and Sasuke debated whether or not to sit down next to him, not wanting to impose on Naruto's privacy. So he opted instead to sit a seat in front of him next to Tenten who was staring languidly out the side of the van.

The vehicle rocked back and forth from the extra weight as everyone began loading onto it, picking seats. It didn't surprise him much when he noticed Kiba sliding in next to Hinata in one of the middle seats or the fact that Ino was deep in conversation with Kankuro, who he learned did know more English than he had first let on.

Last to board was Gai and Lee, who were both bursting with far more energy than they should have been at the time of morning. The van started up with a lazy whir and immediately started jerking and bumping along the dirt road, leading into town. The roughness of the ride was making the soup sitting in Sasuke's stomach churn restlessly and he got the foreboding feeling of motion sickness.

Naruto leaned up from behind them, crossing his arms over the back of his and Tenten's seat and resting his elbow on his wrist. His steel blue eyes glinted with a hardness that Sasuke knew all too well; someone had screwed him over. The rest of his features were quiet and immovable, like a wall of impenetrable ice.

A haughty scoff was heard next to him and Sasuke focused his attention on Tenten who was staring at the scenery outside the van. A young Vietnamese woman was standing on the outside corner, positioned between two food carts, and seemingly offering to sell her body for the right price.

"Can you believe that?" Tenten shrieked, appalled at the sight. "The men in this country have put down their women for so long that they grow up forced to do shit like this! It's so animalistic it makes me sick to my stomach!"

"She broke up with me," Naruto suddenly mumbled above the rising yells of the enraged Chinese girl in front of him. Sasuke turned in his seat to face Naruto but stopped when Tenten let out a slew of curse words.

"They think it's just fine and dandy to sell themselves like that because it's been instilled in their heads that they're not worth anything, that they will always amount to nothing. If I could get my hands on some of those sexist pigs, I'd tear their ba--"

"She said that the time she's spent away from me she's figured out a few things. That her life is taking a different direction and I'm holding her back," Naruto continued behind him, oblivious to the fact that Sasuke could barely hear him over Tenten's rant.

"…and shove them down their throats. How's that for eating your words, huh?" She suddenly leaned out the window, cupping both her hands around her mouth. "You're better than that, girl. You're an amazing person, not the trash they want you to believe!"

"I loved her. Why would she think I was holding her back? I've always allowed her to follow her own dreams," Naruto mumbled, scratching the underside of his jaw with his thumb.

Sasuke winced in pain as the van rocked back and forth, reaching out blindly and tugging on the back of Tenten's shirt before she fell out of the window. Black dotted his vision and he could feel his hands starting to shake uncontrollably. A sharp twisting made itself known in his stomach and he bent forward, letting a quiet moan slip past his lips. What was wrong with him?

He felt a hand on his back bunching his shirt where it rubbed in soothing circles. "Hey Sasuke, are you okay? You don't look so good man," Naruto's voice questioned urgently.

Light-headedness creeped over him and he felt his eyes roll back into his head before his muscles relaxed from their tense position, and he toppled sideways into the aisle. He was expecting to hit his head on the hard metal but a soft lap broke his fall.

Blinking back the darkness in his eyes, he peered up at the worried face of Naruto, whose mouth was forming words that he could no longer hear. This all felt so weird, what was happening to him? It couldn't have been that soup, could it? An odd buzzing took up residence in the back of his brain, loud enough to drown out the worried shouts of everyone on the bus who had realized he had collapsed.

It was quiet for a few moments and really peaceful and though Sasuke knew he should be alarmed that he was having some sort of episode, he could only bask in the serenity that was washing over him like a tidal wave.

And like tuning into a station, Naruto's voice suddenly broke through the static and the dots began to gradually fade away and he was aware of the scared tremor that coursed through his body, and he was sure Naruto could feel it, too.

"Fuck man, are you okay? We lost you there for a few seconds." Naruto's eyes were wide with emotion and his sharp teeth were worrying his lower lip incessantly.

"What happened?" Sasuke murmured, licking his lips to moisten the dryness he felt there. He was covered in a cold sweat, an vast difference to the heat and humidity he could feel surrounding him.

"You just fell out. We need to get some water into you, I think you're really dehydrated," Naruto explained, brushing a few odd strands of black hair from Sasuke's temple. The action was so caring, so domestic that Sasuke had to close his eyes for a moment, assaulted with memories of his mother and the way she used to coddle him when he was hurt.

He glanced around, noticing that Gai had stopped the bus and was standing over him, looking more anxious than Sasuke had ever seen him. Tenten was quiet next to them, leaning over in their seat, looking a bit guilty as if someone was going to jump up and accuse her of pushing him or something.

A smooth bottle of cold water was passed back to him and Naruto unscrewed the cap, resting it gently against Sasuke's lips. A little bit of his pride started seeping back in, and Sasuke swatted away the hand that hovered over the bottle, sipping gingerly at the water.

He felt strong arms grab him beneath the armpits and pull him up onto the back seat of the van, Naruto using his backpack as a pillow for Sasuke's head. It was only after he assured Gai that he was okay now that the man drifted back to the front of the bus and put the van back into gear.

It seemed quieter now, everyone still in shock that the rich Uchiha prodigy had passed out. Naruto unzipped his backpack that was laying beneath Sasuke and started rummaging around for a loose cloth. He wordlessly grabbed the water bottle from Sasuke, right before the boy was about to take another sip and poured some out on the rag, wetting it. Sasuke went back to nursing the bottle when it was handed back to him and he could feel the cool, wet cloth being draped over his forehead.

"You're real motherly; you'd be great with kids," Sasuke mumbled around a drink to which Naruto laughed quietly under his breath.

"Yeah, I guess so," he replied, running a hand over the back of his neck and smiling softly at Sasuke.

"Thank you for helping me," Sasuke bit out, a blush rising over the bridge of his nose, not accustomed for thanking people genuinely.

"You're welcome, Jadebud," Naruto replied, averting his eyes to the scenery outside the van.

Sasuke wanted to ask him why he never told him he had lived in Japan but figured with all that was happening with Naruto and with him, it could wait till later. Pulling out his cell phone from his pocket, he quickly texted a message to Suigetsu.

_I'd be writing up a last will and testament if I were you Suigetsu -Sasuke._

* * *

**Author's Note: I hate how long it took for me to get this out. I apologize to all those who were getting impatient. So, I put a little bit of fluff in there for our NaruSasuNaru fans, but you can take it as either friendship or something more. Jeez, to me they both seem so out of character. Thank god for AU's, huh? Like always, it's unbetaed other than from what I've looked over it so if you see something grossly amiss, please bring it to my attention.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Gaikokujin**_

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Four**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture._

**Comments: This story is fun though I know it seems to be starting off slow but I really wanted to develop it before I start delving into some major conflicts and plots, you know. Some things I never established before were ages and languages: I imagined them all to be in their early 20's with Gai in his early 40's. Everyone speaks their native tongue of course and knows fluent English. Aren't I a doll? Cause I wasn't about to go out and learn Thai or Vietnamese and get it totally wrong.**

* * *

_Day Two_

_cross-country - Hội An, Vietnam_

"Are you feeling any better?"

Naruto's face hovered briefly in his peripheral vision before leaning back against the seat, waiting for Sasuke's response. There was a dull ache at the nape of his neck but aside from that, the three bottles of water he had been sipping on for the past two hours seemed to be doing him good.

The van had been stopped for the past twenty minutes and everyone was outside, milling around it and taking pictures of the rice paddies and water buffalo that were visual from across the road. A small part of Sasuke wanted to be out there with them, acting like a normal tourist, but he just didn't have the heart or the energy to move from his comfortable spot across the seat.

He nodded in a positive manner before Naruto started asking more questions and was confused to see a wave of relief wash over Naruto's features, quietly dissipating the worried edge that the boy had had in his eyes all morning. It unnerved him to know that Naruto was worried for him, in a way that he shouldn't be. They hadn't known each other for long and their friendship was rocky and ever-changing at best.

They were only going to be in Vietnam for the rest of the week or so he heard. He hoped it wouldn't be too long; the climate of the place was seriously kicking his ass.

"Talk to me about what happened with this Sakura chick?" Sasuke questioned, turning his body on the seat to face Naruto, pushing the backpack to prop up against the side of the van.

"There isn't much to tell," Naruto replied, tossing his cell phone gently between his hands. Sasuke knew that he had been staring at the device for the past half hour, hoping that it would vibrate with a new text message. It upset him that the man was so dependant on someone else in his life.

"She said she was leaving and going through with the things she always wanted to accomplish in her life, and that she hoped I wasn't upset and she would always love me."

"It sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me." Naruto's eyes shot up to glare intensely at Sasuke. "Hey, don't start defending her! _She_ left _you._"

A soft sigh escaped the man's lips before he dropped his eyes back down to his lap. "I was going to ask her to marry me when I got back from this trip. I came on it to buy a ring actually. She always liked the antique-y sort of stuff and I figured that passing through one of these countries, I'd find a really pretty one."

Sasuke frowned. He had seen a lot of divorce cases in the early part of his career; he knew about deadbeat, abusive husbands and back-stabbing, vindictive wives. Naruto was better off not marrying at all. Only heartache could come from giving someone your entirety and hoping they would take good care of it.

"So…are you going home? Now that there's not much of a point of staying on this trip?" For reasons beyond him, Sasuke hoped the answer to this was no. Naruto wasn't Suigetsu, that much was certain, but there was just something about him that you couldn't help but be drawn to.

"Free trip through Asia, are you kidding me? I would kill on a normal basis just to come along for one of these. And it is fun, don't get me wrong. Do you want me to leave or something?"

Their eyes caught for a undeterminable charged moment and Sasuke felt the palms of his hands prickle in a strange sort of heat. Naruto's eyes were so straight-forward and piercing that it hurt.

"No, no. Of course not. You staying or going has nothing to do with me. Though if you bring any more rats into the picture, I might just buy your plane ticket back home myself."

Murky like chlorine water, Naruto's steel blues crinkled at the edges and a barking laugh escaped his throat. A bright, contagious smile took up residence on his face and suddenly everything about him seemed to glow and leak happiness, washing over everyone else and seeping into their pores.

It was then that Sasuke knew why Naruto was so damn interesting. It was his personality; drawing everyone to him likes flies to sugar water. Even if he was having a bad day, like now, there were still the moments that he cast that seemed to pull you in and absorb you until you had no choice but to float along with whatever emotion that was running its course.

Everyone else was beginning to load back up on the bus and Naruto was still grinning and Sasuke could feel a smile pull at his own lips. Ino came bouncing back towards them, blonde hair swishing around her elbows.

"Naruto, I got some really good shots. Do you wanna look over them with me?" she questioned, out of breath. Naruto nodded and scooted farther over to his side, signaling the girl to sit in between him and Sasuke.

The scent of _Lovely_ invaded Sasuke's senses as she pressed in between them, holding her camera in front of her. Her skinny ankles crossed over one another and Sasuke noticed the little ringlets that clung to her forehead, damp with perspiration. She reminded him of the Greek goddess Artemis he had read up on for a mythology course he took in college. Pure as snow but a charming wild side underneath it all; the ultimate temptress. It took everything he had not to scoot closer to the beauty but her exclamations over the pictures she had and Naruto's slow, steady gaze made him settle for just peering over her shoulder.

Most of the shots were blurry or unfocused but there were a couple that made Sasuke think that she might have something if she pursued photography.

"I took this one of you by accident Sasuke, but I really like how it came out. What do you think?" Ino explained, holding the camera towards Sasuke so he could see.

She must have taken it that morning when they were walking back from breakfast. And even though it wasn't centered whatsoever and Sasuke detected what looked like the edge of Ino's green flip flop, he had to admit the way the light was cast, it wasn't too bad of him. In fact, it was really good.

It seemed Naruto noticed it too, because a sharp intake of breath was heard and Ino and Sasuke both looked over at the same time at him. Naruto quickly pasted on a quick smile, grinning sheepishly.

"That's…that's a really nice one of you Uchiha. Ino, you know, you're really good at this."

Ino blushed from the praise and started flipping back through the pictures. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and shot the boy a questioning glance; he changed the subject too fast. Not that Sasuke cared really.

"So gang, how about we stop for some lunch?" Gai exclaimed from the front of the bus, weaving in and out of pedestrians in the road. There was a static murmur that spoke volumes that everybody on board was definitely down with that. Sasuke, himself, was hungry but after his brief stint with the sun, he wasn't too sure if he'd be able to keep down any food.

Yet, he wanted to spend more time with Naruto and hopefully get the boy to open up long enough so Sasuke could find out why he had lied earlier; why he never saw fit to tell him he had lived in Japan for most of his life.

Naruto bounced out of his seat, eager for food, backpack slung low over one shoulder. Sasuke followed him off the rickety steps of the bus, noticing how Neji quietly fell in place behind the two of them, acting as their stand-in bodyguard to protect them against thieving or conniving locals.

"Um…I'm not sure what to eat Sasuke. None of this stuff looks the least bit familiar," Naruto paused, glancing around at the dozen or so food carts, all sporting a hopeful face manning them.

"I suggest with something simple first, a lot of the cuisine here is a bit rich to someone who doesn't eat it regularly. _Cao lầu _would be your best choice," Neji suddenly explained, moving to stand next to them.

"That means we're in Hội An, right?" Sasuke was smart enough to do his homework before embarking on this nightmare at least. He wanted to know exactly what he was getting into. Hội An was actually a small town that looked halfway interesting to him; the place was rustic and traditional.

Neji nodded, signaling one of the vendors for three bowls of the pork noodles. "Yeah, we'll be staying here for the rest of the week before we go into Cambodia. Gai was having a little trouble getting the Americans cleared."

Naruto scoffed loudly under his breath, glancing briefly at his chopsticks before situating them awkwardly between his fingers. "We're not all that bad, promise."

"There's a lot of tradition surrounding this area and a lot of natives believe that foreigners wouldn't respect that," Neji further explained, leading them over to a round picnic table placed under a grove of trees.

"Sasuke, Shikamaru, Temari and all them are foreigners, too. Why is it just me, Ino and Kiba being singled out?"

"Aside from you three, everyone else is Asian. It's…it's just the principle of the thing," Neji quickly bit out, trying to cover up his discomfort about entering a race argument with Naruto. To Sasuke, this would be the perfect opportunity to bring up Naruto's heritage.

"So, Naruto," he began, stabbing a piece of lettuce with a chopstick and bringing it to his mouth, "what part of Japan did you live in?" It was a cold move, bringing it up out of nowhere but Sasuke was eager to find out and he learned early on in life, you couldn't be afraid to go after what you wanted.

To say Naruto looked shocked was an understatement. His jaw dropped and his chopsticks clattered loudly to his bowl would have been more accurate. "How..how'd you find out about that…god dammit, Ino…" The boy dropped his eyes to the table, aimlessly twirling a chopstick around in the noodles.

"Well?" Sasuke urged, waving his hand for more information.

Naruto stood so suddenly that he bumped the table causing the three identical bowls to wobble precariously. Neji looked anxious, glancing back and forth between the two as Naruto glared venom in Sasuke's direction.

"Just stop, okay Sasuke. Just stop."

He walked away, hands shoved deep in his pockets and backpack slung back over his shoulder. A sharp twisting erupted in Sasuke's gut but he forced himself to remain motionless and let Naruto walk away.

"I wonder what got into him?" he murmured as if it didn't bother him to assuage the look that was still on Neji's face. The Laotian man shot him a disbelieving glance but said nothing and went back to eating.

Despite the cool composure he was pulling off, Sasuke found that he could do nothing but sit and stare at the noodles in his bowl, appetite suddenly gone. Biting his lip nervously, he slung down a few bills for Neji to pay for his food and sprinted after Naruto.

To hell with his pride; some things you couldn't just leave hanging like that. Naruto was a good distance from him but he could still see the way his shoulders hunched over as he walked; caving in on himself, protecting himself.

Finding his voice, Sasuke sprinted to the boy's side. "Naruto, wait! I should…I should have never said that. I'm sorry," he murmured, a embarrassed and sheepish blush spreading over his face.

Naruto glanced over at him from the corner of his eye and stopped walking. "I lived in Fukuoka up until I was 17, mostly in Arase. It was hard; after my parents died I spent most of my nights on the streets, more worried about where my next meal was coming from than my own safety."

Sasuke tried to keep the shocked look off his face for Naruto's sake. He wasn't expecting Naruto to actually tell him about where he grew up.

"I got messed up in a lot of bad stuff: drugs, bars, gangs…women. I never want to go back there," Naruto finished, edging towards a crowded market.

Sasuke followed him, not liking the quiet solitude that was on Naruto's expression; he desperately wanted the happy, carefree side of him back. Reaching out, he grasped onto the boy's forearm. The people around them moved to avoid hitting them, usually scowling in Naruto's direction.

Sasuke could feel the thick cords in Naruto's arm as he flexed, waiting patiently for Sasuke to say what was on his mind. "Thank you for telling me. You didn't have to," was what he finally managed to come up with.

He hadn't really wanted to say something just wanted to reach out and touch the boy; assure him that there was someone out there who actually did care whether or not he was upset. The corner of Naruto's mouth quirked upwards before he headed over to his destination: Temari, who was standing over a rice cart, eating.

"Have you seen Gai?" she said around a mouthful of rice, not particularly caring if anyone found it un-ladylike. Her skirt swished around her long legs, a narrow slit cut all the way up to the middle of her curvy thigh. Sasuke found he couldn't take his eyes off it.

"See something you like?" Temari questioned, throwing Sasuke a cat-like grin. Naruto suddenly laughed beside them, a little too loudly for the situation. Temari looked briefly confused before smiling wryly at him, probably wondering if he was a bit touched in the head.

Sasuke pulled Naruto away after saying goodbye to the Thai princess, hand wrapped tightly around his wrist. "What the hell was that all about, huh?" he questioned angrily after they were away from earshot.

"I…don't know. She…she just seemed…I don't know."

"That's your brilliant answer?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, before looking around. "We should probably go look for our hotel, right?"

Sasuke ignored the sorry excuse for a change in subject and helped Naruto locate the rickety old tour van they had been stuck on for the past two days. This hotel was actually habitable-looking compared to the ramshackle little place they stayed at last night.

The tan two-story brick building was edged in deep red trim and the twin pillars out front were carefully etched with thousands of tiny, perfect detail. The inside was cool and dimly-lit, smelling like rich jungle flowers and vanilla. Sasuke inhaled deeply, grateful to escape the sun that had been glaring down at them relentlessly since six that morning.

The attendant behind the desk was a short, squat woman who eyed Naruto suspiciously before handing over two sets of keys. Sasuke felt a surge of giddiness run through him that he was finally going to be able to shower and sleep in his own room by himself.

He followed Naruto down the cool hallway, pausing at the door next to the one that he was opening, for some reason wanting to be close to the other man, even now. He fiddled the metal between his fingers, rattling the keychain that was attached to the end.

"Look, I am sorry for what I said earlier. I guess I was just angry that you hadn't told me, not that you were supposed to or anything, it's just…" Sasuke trailed off, figuring he was digging himself a hole he wouldn't be able to get out of.

Naruto looked up from his door, catching him with the intense blue of his eyes. Sasuke felt his feet react on autopilot, bringing himself to the boy's side as if a rope was being pulled and it was tied around him. Naruto's eyes stayed locked with his and for a brief disconcerting moment, he almost felt like leaning forward and actually kissing the other male. Holding back the strange primal urge, he reached a hand forward and finished pushing Naruto's key in the lock, guiding the boy's fingers to twist it till a soft click was heard and the door swung open into the room.

"I'm going to go take a shower and change. If you want, we'll catch up with Ino and whoever else wants to come and explore the town?" he murmured, dodging back to his own door and opening it.

"Okay," Naruto replied in a soft whoosh, quickly disappearing into his room and closing the door behind him.

Sasuke paused for a moment to catch his breath, leaning his forehead against the smooth wood. What the hell had just happened? Did he seriously consider kissing _Naruto_? The door to his room creaked open and he shut it softly behind him, collapsing on the twin bed pushed up against the far wall.

It wasn't the fact that Naruto was male. Sasuke had accepted that he liked both sexes long ago; it wasn't gender for him after all. He was drawn to people and their personalities and who they were as a person. But Naruto just wasn't one of the normal ones he was attracted to. He liked wealth and fame and social status; three things Naruto just didn't have.

After locating his bags which were conveniently sat outside in the lobby, where they could have easily been stolen by thieves, Sasuke unpacked and hopped into the shower. He had to stifle a groan of pleasure as the hot water cascaded down onto his tired shoulders, one hand pressed flat against the tile to support himself.

A muffled sound coming from the room next to him caused his eyes to snap open suddenly, afraid that someone had come into the bathroom. Shutting off the tap, he strained to listen. The sound of Naruto's shower next door could be heard along with a loud off-key baritone. Singing? In the shower?

Of course. This was Naruto, after all. He was just full of surprises. Sasuke smiled to himself and turned his shower back on. For the first time in his life, he was actually appreciative of shampoo.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

_**Gaikokujin**_

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Five**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture__._

**Comments: Wow, it's been quite some time hasn't it? A little over a month, I'm guessing. Which isn't all that long in comparison to some authors but for me, it's eternity. So the writer's block that was plaguing me is finally lifting. Which I'm incredibly grateful for; I'm not usually as slow as Christmas.**

**Mood Song: Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac**

* * *

_Day Two_

_Hội An, Vietnam_

Exhaustion pried at Sasuke's eyes but he threw up a brave front and smiled halfheartedly at the group before him, all of which were chattering animatedly amongst each other.

Hội An was chockfull of things to do and it seemed that almost everyone wanted to go to a museum first, which suited Sasuke perfectly. He had just showered and the humidity was making him feel like it was taking him centuries to dry.

The only few that opted to stay behind or see something different were Kankuro, Kiba, Ino and Lee, who found that along the waterfront was a hodge-podge of bars and restaurants to their liking. At the last minute, Temari, Tenten, Shikamaru and Choji decided to follow the small party, leaving Sasuke behind with the remainder of the group.

He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the nightlife would have proved too much for him on this particular night and he would have ended up drinking too much and regretting it the next morning.

The Museum of Sa Huynh was a squat little two-story building with high sculpted archways. It had an almost Spanish staccato-type feel to it with its pale yellowing walls, smudged with years worth of dark, sooty grime. Sasuke wrinkled his nose in disgust at the filth and instead focused on the large paper lanterns hanging above the entryway.

He noticed that Hinata's eyes were also trained on the ornaments and she blushed quietly to herself when she accidentally bumped into Neji, shooting a apologetic smile at her cousin. Once again, Sasuke was captured by the sweet aura the young woman gave off. Although having just met her, Sasuke felt as if she was the younger sister he never got to experience.

The inside of the museum was cool, yet damp, and Sasuke found himself lifting the loose hairs at the nape of his neck up from his collar, feeling immense empathy towards Neji, who still wore his long hair down his back. But then again, he was most likely used to this sort of weather.

The small group scattered around the rooms, mingling among the displays. Sasuke stopped in front of a display of five giant terra cotta coffins. Each were colorfully detailed, the blood-red hues mesmerizing him where he stood. It wasn't like him to get this interested in simple artwork as he had been to countless gatherings at galleries back home. Maybe this country, and this trip, was getting to him. Maybe he did have a lot to learn about himself after all.

Footsteps next to him brought Naruto to his side, the blonde-haired man staring up at the tallest coffin on display. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets and his whole form seemed slouched and depressed almost.

"It sure would suck to be trapped in one of those. That's like my worst fear, you know, being trapped in a coffin alive."

He chuckled quietly, finally turning his gaze to Sasuke. "I mean, there's a one in a million chance that would ever happen, right? But still, being this close to one gives me the creeps."

Sasuke glanced askew at the boy, raising an eyebrow in questioning. Silently, he motioned for Naruto to follow him to the next display. It was a gathering of swords lined up on hooks from the wall, polished to a gleam and still razor-sharp. Sasuke saw their faces reflecting off the shiny steel and the distorted image caused him to think, think about what was most important in his life. Whether or not everything he was doing to succeed was enough. And whether or not the boy standing next to him was worth his time.

They would be here, what?, only a month together and that was too short of time to find out every little thing about Naruto. But for some unknown reason, that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to know every aspect of Naruto's life, what his personality was like, his goals and dreams; what made him tick exactly.

He had never had someone weasel their way so far and so quickly into his life that they stayed rooted, twisted around his being like an ever-growing vine. And to think, it never would have happened if Naruto hadn't fixed the wheel on his suitcase just a few days back.

The other man was eyeing him curiously, his hand coming to rest gently on his shoulder. "Are you alright? It looked like you just zoned out there for a minute or two."

Sasuke shook his head briefly and nodded, jamming his hands so far down into the pockets of his dress slacks to disguise their trembling. He was becoming unstable, volatile. The sudden course of emotions through him could almost be described as violent and tumultuous. They tumbled over one another, causing a deep unsettling of his stomach, almost as if he had butterflies.

"Tell me, Naruto," he began, clearing his throat, "what do you honestly think of me?" He gently ran his fingertips across a glass display, having something, anything, to do with his hands.

"What do you mean how I think of you?" Naruto asked, brow knitting together in confusion. "Is there a way I should be thinking of you? Is this your way of warning me, 'Hey, I'm bad news. Stay away'?"

Sasuke shook his head, leading the two of them towards the entrance of the museum. He inhaled deeply of the cool night air, rich with the scent of fragrant flowers and the fever of the jungle.

"So what, then?" Naruto continued, coming up behind him.

"Never mind...I think I'm going to go have a drink anyway. I suddenly feel like I need one."

He felt the suspicious look at the back of his head more than he saw it, but he knew that Naruto's interest was peaked and that he was undoubtedly going to follow him to the nearest bar, keen on finding out the details.

Their footsteps were muted against the hard, packed dirt of the village and they walked in companionable silence, the bright neon glow of a bar straight ahead. Sasuke felt an invisible barrier being put up on Naruto's side and he frowned quietly to himself, frustrated that instead of being able to let Naruto know exactly what he was feeling all he was succeeding in was in scaring him off.

The crowd was loud and foreign, but the faces were kind and happy which soothed Sasuke to some degree. The bar was makeshift and a bit sloppy but he sidled up to it anyways and bought two beers, one for himself and Naruto. The trickle of the liquid down his throat was cool and comforting, even if Naruto's glare was still focused on him.

"Y'know, I never imagined I would be here tonight, sitting at a local bar in Vietnam," Naruto murmured after a couple of beers, a slight slur already integrated into his speech. "I actually never thought I would make it past the age of 18, honestly."

Sasuke glanced over at the man from the corner of his eye, intrigue seeping into his expression.

"I don't like to think about my past. That's why I lied to you about it. It seemed easier for me to become something I wasn't than trying to step over all the bad parts of my life." Naruto took a quick swig of his beer, Adam's apple bobbing with the motion. "But you can't really sweep anything under the rug, can you?"

A dizzy techno beat hummed incessantly in the background and combined with the warm churn in his stomach, Sasuke slowly sank into relaxation, ordering another round of beers for the both of them, even though neither really wanted another.

* * *

Another hour passed with the two of them chatting, Naruto nearly leaning across the bar for support. His eyes were a blurry calamity and Sasuke soon figured out that the other male wasn't the type to hold his liquor well, if asking him to repeat the same sentence three times because it was slurred beyond recognition any clue.

Pretty soon, the call of nature interrupted their conversation and Sasuke politely excused himself before weaving through the dense crowd in what he assumed, and hoped, was the correct direction to the restrooms.

The sharp glare of fluorescent light on dingy tile made Sasuke swear quietly beneath his breath and squint his eyes, fumbling his way towards the urinal. The inside smelt a lot like his gym locker room when he was in high school and it caused his stomach to turn over, his nostrils rejecting the unpleasant odor.

He quickly finished up and made his way back to the door, wiping his hands on his pants in lieu of washing them, not able to stand the rank any longer. The outside hallway was congested of bodies, all of which were moving and grinding with the loud _tha-thump_ of the speakers aligned on the outer walls of the bar. He weaved his way to the outer rim of the hallway, grimacing when his hands came in contact with hot, sweaty flesh.

At one point, he accidentally brushed up against a middle-aged man, excusing himself immediately but to no avail. The man's eyes narrowed dangerously, teeth flashing feral in the punctuating breaks of the strobe light directly overhead.

Before Sasuke could back away, he was suddenly guided up against the nearest wall, a pelvis quickly lining up with his own and grinding roughly. Caught briefly in a moment of shock, he stared down at the darkened features of the man, feeling something warm and wet trail across his shoulder.

Keening away from the touch, Sasuke laid onto the man with both hands. "Get the fuck off of me!" he yelled, watching the man stumble backwards. The disconcerting flashing above him made his eyes water as he tried to focus on the hunched form in the small hallway, his sense of perception screwed as the man was suddenly upon him again, even though his eyes told him he was still across the hallway.

A mouth and hard teeth invaded his own and surprised, he clamped down hard on the other man's tongue, hearing him jolt and squawk in pain. Despite the iron taste of blood in Sasuke's mouth, his assailant didn't let up and he wriggled helplessly, like a moth pinned to the wall. His hands were pinned high up above his head and a knee was positioned in between his own legs, daring him to move.

Anger and humiliation bubbled up into his gut and before he could latch back onto the other's tongue and tear it out, the man was quite literally slung backwards, twisting and falling into the trampling crowd. Sasuke inhaled rough, uneven breaths, feeling a surge of relief enter him as he caught sight of familiar steel blue eyes searching his own for signs of injury.

Fingers splayed across his collarbone in a silent question before Naruto turned away, stalking across the hallway towards the still-prone man. Roughly dragging him out of the crowd by a leg, he brought him up into a half-sitting position before delivering a swift left hook straight into the side of his face. The man flailed wildly, managing to catch Naruto in his mouth before the blond man slammed the other into the restroom door, bloodying his nose.

A loud yell came from someone in the crowd, finally noticing the scuffle behind them. Sasuke quickly latched onto Naruto's forearm before leading their way back through the throng, towards the door. Once in a clear shot, he took off running away from the bar, distancing himself as he heard yells of someone summoning the police.

Naruto matched his pace next to him, pointing to the thick grove of trees in front of him. Sasuke stumbled through the bushes, ignoring the cutting branches on his skin, eyes set only on the back of Naruto's orange track-jacket. He didn't know how long and how far they were running, only that he didn't want to be able to hear the sounds of people behind him.

Naruto suddenly skidded to a halt, leaning heavily against a large stone pillar to catch his breath. The odd formation of rock around him made Sasuke believe that they were at an old temple of some sort, though it was hard to tell by the way the foliage hid everything from view.

"You're okay, right?" Naruto questioned, turning to face him. A light sheen of sweat shone on his face and in the dim moonlight, Sasuke could just make out the shallow cut on the other's lip, a dribble of dried blood staining his face.

"Yeah, thanks," he replied gently, searching his pockets for a tissue or something. Upon finding a napkin he had accumulated from lunch, he quickly wet it with dew from the fronds of a nearby tree and wordlessly handed it over to Naruto.

He watched as the boy dabbed at the cut, wincing as the tell-tale signs of his adrenaline slowing down made itself known. He cursed before stuffing the napkin into his jacket pocket, and sprawling out over a nearby stone ledge.

"We're probably going to get in trouble over this," he muttered cavalierly, as if getting busted by the cops in a foreign country was a walk in the park.

"But he was attacking me! Shouldn't they listen to what the victim has to say?!" Sasuke rebounded, shifting Naruto over so he could sit down as well.

Naruto stared at him for a moment before shaking his head thoughtfully. "Things don't often work out that way." He stretched his arms high above his head, sighing heavily as he did so. "The day that I start thinking the world isn't out to get me is the day that they sink my cold, dead body into the ground."

Sasuke leaned his head upon the other's shoulder, moving his body to rest parallel to the stone bench. "You think we should hang out here till it calms down out there?"

"Might as well. At least it isn't raining," came the near inaudible reply, Naruto's words rumbling deep in his body and vibrating Sasuke. Strangely, it was soothing lying like this, hearing the quiet night-noises and sharing this moment with someone he considered a friend.

And before he knew it, his eyes were drifting close and he didn't even have half the heart to curse at Naruto when the other suddenly shifted out of his reach, causing his head to thunk against the hard rock. Naruto laughed quietly under his breath and dug a pack of Marlboros out of his pocket, humming some unknown tune as the glowing embers of his cigarette lulled Sasuke into a calm and peaceful doze.

* * *

**Author's Note: Not as nearly as long as I first came up with but that was before I began splitting up chapters. What was originally 11 or so pages got shortened down to 8. The next chapter should be on up there though.**

**Naruto Manga Spoiler:**

**To tell the truth, the only reason I'm reading through what is looking more and more like filler chapters is Karin. Although I find her personality pretty tasteless and copied off our Konoha girls in pre-timeskip, boy does she have a body. I get so happy when he focuses on her thunda-thighs : ) **

**Ahem.**

**Anymoose, getting really excited for Sasuke to get back to Konoha, even if his purpose is to destroy it. Though I could probably do without all the whining he's carrying on lately, I'm more than ready for the face-off between him and Naruto. Three cheers for the upcoming emotional rollercoaster!!**

**Oh, and we mustn't forget all of our favorite ending theme: **_**dakara please kiss me please kiss me...all night!**_

**And I vaguely remember someone telling me that Naruto had no homoerotic undertones. ; D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Six**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

_**Summary: **__Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture._

**Comments: Hey, look Ma, this one isn't so late! Thank god! that writer's block wasn't excruciatingly long this time. **

**Mood Song: Breathe Me - Sia**

* * *

_Day Three_

_Hội An, Vietnam_

He could feel the heat behind the sun as it trekked its way into the early morning sky; today was going to be a particularly scorching day. Humidity clung to the trees around him, weighing down the leaves with heavy perspiration. He already felt like he needed to remove his shirt just so he could breathe.

A halo of crushed cigarette butts littered the stone floor around him and he glanced around for Naruto, nearly growing frantic when his eyes were met with nothing. Jumping down from the high bench, he paused suddenly when the sharp crack of twigs sounded close to him.

He spun around, startling Naruto in the process, who had chosen to emerge from the dense foliage, swatting at a mosquito over his shoulder.

"Can you believe this? Look at my arms!" he exclaimed, holding them out for Sasuke to see the myriad of red, raised bumps of at least 30 or 40 bugbites. Sasuke scratched at one of his own bites on the soft flesh between his fingers, thankful that he had chosen to wear a loose, white long-sleeved shirt.

"You should have kept your jacket on, stupid."

A heavy sigh was heard next to him as Naruto subconsciously raked at his forearm with his nails. "I think it's about time we head back. I bet our guides are starting to get a little antsy."

Sasuke nodded and followed Naruto back the way they had come from, leading out in the town center. Nearing the hotel, they could hear Gai's booming voice from inside and Sasuke actually cringed, not used to hearing the once-vibrant man so harsh and demanding.

"Where have the two of you been?! Do you know how long we've looked for you?! And a fight! You got into a fight! Already!?" His voice was even louder, standing right in front of them, face contorted in anger. Sasuke suddenly felt like a rambunctious schoolboy being disciplined by one of his sensei's.

And if Gai's reddened face upset him, the two uniformed men standing behind him made his heart sink into the ground. Shit, they were in trouble. Expecting to be slapped on the wrist and _dragged_ off to prison, Sasuke was surprised when the officers merely motioned for them to follow them into a small office a couple blocks over.

"Do you understand why we've brought you here?" a short, owlish man questioned them in English, waving for them to take a seat while he rested a leg up on a nearby chair.

His partner, a large, burly man of about 35, glared at them suspiciously from his corner of the room, thick arms crossed over his chest. Sasuke opened his mouth to speak but Naruto cut him to the chase.

"I assume you're talking about the disruption we played a part in last night at the bar?"

His words weren't condescending but the tone he put behind it was. Sasuke felt like slapping a hand over the blonde man's mouth and telling him to shut up and let him tell the story so they wouldn't get into any more trouble.

"Yes. You broke the man's nose," the officer replied, matter-of-fact. "He's wanting to press charges but we told him we needed to hear your side of the story first."

"Press charges? The guy was trying to molest Sasuke here!" Naruto exclaimed, waving a hand in Sasuke's general direction.

"We actually thought as much. The man that had come to us actually has a reputation of being a sort of womanizer here. I'm guessing it was dark, he was drunk and he mistook your friend here for a pretty lady."

Sasuke bristled inwardly at being called feminine, even if the officers were sympathetic to their side of the situation.

"You do have to understand though, that because you are foreigners, this is a lot more serious," the man went on to say, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Especially you, sir," he mumbled, nodding his head at Naruto.

"Because I'm American, right?" Naruto shot back, voice sounding a little bit more than peeved.

Sasuke nudged him with his foot, hoping he would get the message that he was starting to get in too deep and that he may as well be shooting himself in the foot for the argument he was about to start up.

Naruto, thankfully being of the observant bunch, caught on to Sasuke's gesture and immediately quieted, allowing Sasuke to finish up.

"Will this affect our getting into Cambodia, sir? We don't want to cause any more trouble on our guide's behalf and I hope that he doesn't get any blame for our reckless behavior." Not for the first time in his life, Sasuke thanked his talented ways of dealing and coercing people to sway towards his decision. If Naruto just kept his mouth shut, he would succeed in getting them out of this predicament.

"Well, I guess you two retaliated in self-defense, I already had decided I was going to drop the man's charges. Nothing is going onto record so I don't think you'd have any trouble passing the borders but just to be safe, don't get into any more fights, okay?" the officer laughed, holding out his hand.

Sasuke shook it firmly, flashing a bright smile. "Thank you, sir. We promise this will be the last you see of us." Nudging Naruto with his foot once more, he turned with him with the smile still on his face, telling the other man with his eyes to cooperate.

Catching the hint, Naruto beamed back at the officers, the smile not quite reaching his eyes and altogether practiced and fake. Luckily, the other two men were none the wiser.

* * *

Once back at the hotel, Naruto was uncomfortably quiet and Sasuke could only assume he was still upset over the whole ethnic topic that kept being brought up. He felt a stab of shame that his common countries tended to dislike Americans, feeling that it was unfair that they were being judged so quickly even when there were a nice bunch of people out there.

He found Naruto in the lobby, staring blankly at a small television that was set on mute across the room. Sighing quietly to himself, Sasuke tossed a package of Starburst that he had found hidden away in his luggage onto Naruto's lap, hoping that the sight of the small candies would bring a smile to his face.

"What are these for?" he asked, holding up the bright yellow package.

Sasuke shrugged in response, flopping down in a chair adjacent from the man. "I found them in my bag, didn't want them."

"What's wrong with them?" Naruto questioned, raising a blonde eyebrow.

"Nothing. Look if you don't want them, then just give them back. I'm sure Ino or Hinata would like them."

"No." Naruto shrunk back into the chair, crushing the candy to his chest to protect them. "I want them."

A silence fell over the two, the crinkling of wax paper as Naruto opened a Starburst and popped it into his mouth. "Y'know, I'm kinda looking forward to getting into Cambodia. I mean, Vietnam's pretty and all, I just feel like this is becoming less and less of a trip. All we do everyday is run around and take pictures, coming off as the bunch of tourists we are." He reclined back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. "I want to meet women, party and have fun. Let loose, which is why I came on this trip in the first place."

Sasuke crinkled his nose subconsciously at that, somehow disappointed that Naruto was wanting to bed women and not hi--. He expelled a sigh, standing and brushing off invisible dust from his pants legs. "I'm going to go see how far Gai's gotten on our passports."

"See ya, I'm going to hang out around here for a while. It's fucking hot out today." Sasuke was halfway across the room when Naruto called after him, waving the candy in the air.

"Thanks for the junk food, man!"

Sasuke smiled to himself, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked out into the blazing heat and crowd. The smells of lunch cooking permeated the air and his mouth watered despite himself. He found Gai hunched over a low bar in a small office set back from the market, fanning himself with a pamphlet of popular tourist sites in Vietnam.

"Any luck?"

The older man rolled his eyes and nodded to the short, stout lady clacking away at a keyboard behind the countertop. "Sir, we've got clearance on most of your group but I'm having a hard time pulling up background profiles for a few of them," she droned, turning to Gai and pursing her bright red lips.

"I'm promising you that they were all cleared at Nha Trang, every single one of them," he replied, sounding exasperated.

Gai turned around, leaning back against the countertop as the lady continued typing away at her keyboard. "So, did you get things settled with you and Naruto?"

"Yeah, they didn't really say much. We were lucky that the guy was a perv, honestly. And even though it did cause a lot of hassle, I'm glad Naruto was there when he was."

Gai's eyes gleamed in the fluorescent lights of the office but before he could say something, the lady caught their attention, holding up a stack of passports in her hands. "All of them are cleared. You can get into the country without any trouble now."

"Thank you for your time," Gai replied, blinding the poor lady with a smile. Sasuke followed him out of the office, once again hit with the pungent smell of food.

"We've lost four of us in the group today," the older man stated, cutting through a line of people and approaching a vendor selling rice noodles.

Sasuke paused, not quite understanding. How could you lose four people? "What do you mean? What happened?"

"Well, the tall one, Shikamaru, apparently ate something that didn't quite agree with him. Allergic reaction and such. Nothing serious but he said he was going to be too ill to finish the trip." Gai signaled the vendor with two fingers, holding out a steaming bowl for Sasuke when it was done. "I think it couldn't have come at a better time really; he looked like he was about to up and go home any moment. Choji went back to Japan with him and I sent Lee and Tenten to accompany them in case they ran into trouble on the way."

"So, that makes me the only Japanese citizen on this trip, excluding Kiba?"

Gai nodded, motioning with his hand to follow him back to the hotel. "That's not going to be too hard for you, is it?

Sasuke rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth to get rid of any noodle residue that might be there. "Why would it be? I'm pretty self-sufficient on my own and I can speak English just as well as the rest of them." He laughed softly, feeling extremely at ease with the tall, older man. Even if he did still see him as a sort of weirdo.

Sasuke finished downing the rest of his soup before tossing it into a nearby trash bin, eyes narrowing when he caught sight of Naruto crouched underneath a stone wall that led back behind the hotel. Gai saw it too and shook his head, continuing into the hotel. Slowly, Sasuke approached the man, ducking his head when Naruto motioned for him to get down and be quiet.

"What are we doing?" Sasuke whispered, as soon as he was close enough for the other to hear him. Naruto waved his hand for Sasuke to crouch down beside him and peek around the end of the wall. Slowly inching forward on his knees, he carefully maneuvered underneath Naruto's arm and looked around.

Kiba and Hinata were sitting on the other side in small side garden, filled with bright yellow flowers and home-grown vegetables. She was resting her head on his shoulder and they were talking in low, quiet voices.

"They've been like that for the past five minutes," Naruto murmured. Sasuke was suddenly made aware of the cooling breath on the back of his neck and the hard definition of the other's chest pushing against his shoulder blades. Of course, he had to go and stop thinking and put himself into an awkward position.

Swallowing down the tight lump in his throat, he crouched lower, his chest practically sweeping the ground. "Why are you watching them in the first place? Why am I still watching them?"

"I was making sure he wasn't trying any stupid moves but they're just talking and she looks happy, so I told myself I wasn't going to interfere," Naruto mumbled, shifting his body weight on his toes to keep from falling over. "They're really cute together."

Sasuke glanced back over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the blonde man. "You are so weird." That said, he carefully, and without touching the other, backed up and stood, yanking on Naruto's arm to follow him. "Give them some privacy, idiot. You wouldn't want Kiba spying on you if you were talking with a pretty lady, would you?"

Naruto smiled sheepishly. "Just looking out for the little girl, 's all." He brushed dirt off his knees and walked ahead of Sasuke. "We have like another hour left in this country from what I heard from Lee. I'm going to go finish packing, except last night I was being lazy and kinda threw everything everywhere..."

"Are you asking for my help?" Sasuke chuckled. Naruto nodded slowly, digging his room keys out of his pocket. He stopped in front of his door, looking Sasuke squarely in the eye.

"I'm telling you, it's a train wreck. Don't laugh, just help me clean up and get stuff together, aight?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, grabbing the keys from Naruto and unlocking the door. "I. Promise."

That was quickly short-lived as he caught sight of the room in front of him. It looked like a tsunami ran through it, that or a few dozen pigs. He swallowed down the hard lump of protest that was stuck in his throat and moved to one side of the room, quickly folding clothes in a smooth, practiced manner.

In little to no time, the room was back in some semblance of order. Sasuke swept a stray hair back from his brow, frowning at the oily texture he felt beneath his fingers. Apparently, the climate around here wasn't going to cut him a break because back home he could go at least a day without washing his hair before it began to feel dirty.

Naruto must have noticed the disgusted expression on his face, because he snorted, digging in a bag for a change of clothes and deodorant. "I need a shower, too; no need to start getting rank on everyone. You're more than welcome to jump in after me."

Sasuke successfully fought down a blush at the context of his words and followed Naruto into the adjoining bathroom. "Actually, I only need to use the sink," he mumbled, quickly setting the temp on the faucets and ducking his head under. The warm water cascaded over his ears, preventing him from hearing Naruto stripping down and stepping into the shower until the water was already running and Sasuke yanked his head back before the rush of steaming water scalded his ears.

He turned his head, glaring daggers at the flowery pattern of the shower curtain and the uneven splash of water hitting the tub floor as Naruto bathed. Without any warning, Sasuke felt a heat rise up his neck, taking a hold of his cheeks without mercy. Sighing heavily, he stuck his head back under the faucet, making sure the water didn't touch his ears until the water temperature evened out. He closed his eyes, feeling around with his hand for the little bottle of hotel shampoo that he saw sitting on the back of the toilet.

How did he get into this situation again? Oh right, his hair. In his mind, he was going to quickly wash his hair in the sink _then_ Naruto would hop into the shower. Not at the same time! Now he was stuck not feet away from the naked male, hearing a low humming emitting from behind the curtain.

He lathered up his hair, taking comfort in the business-like smell of the off-brand shampoo, certain that if he didn't use a shampoo that smelt "pretty", his hair would have a less likely chance of getting gross so quickly.

He rinsed his hair thoroughly, reaching for the second towel that was folded neatly over the rack above the toilet and rubbing it over his head haphazardly. He felt his eyes nearly bug out of his head as he removed the towel to see Naruto traipsing around the bathroom, moving around him and collecting his things, a white towel wrapped securely around his waist.

"Excuse me, " he sang out, reaching behind Sasuke to grab the tube of toothpaste and toothbrush that was lying behind him on the counter. Sasuke watched in awe as the blonde man spread out an even layer of toothpaste and stuck the brush into his mouth, blinking back slowly.

"What?" he asked, words slightly garbled.

Sasuke pushed past him quickly and out of the man's room, darting into his own hotel room before anyone could see him. He leant back up against the door, breathing heavily.

Holy shit.

He had never been so worked up after seeing someone in his life! Everything about Naruto was tan and toned. Sasuke never thought of himself to be physically attracted to people that easily, always finding the people who had intellect as their prime charmer to be his preference. But Naruto was smart.

And he was good-looking.

Sasuke sighed heavily out his nose, placing a shaking hand to his forehead. This wasn't happening. He wasn't attracted to Naruto. He wasn't! And he wasn't in denial! Fumbling around his pant's pocket, he brought out his cell phone, quickly texting a message to Suigetsu.

_I need your help._

* * *

**Author's Note: Okay, I know this isn't progressing very fast at all. I'm trying to make it long without making it overwhelmingly boring. Thankfully, I get these folks into Cambodia next chapter. : ) From there, I have an actual conflict set up, other than Sasuke's denial. I honestly hate that I put that in, because I tend to shy away from the stories that have the characters go "ohdeargodno, I'm gay!". **

**But I already established that Sasuke could be "bi". One bird. One stone. Direct hit. : D**

**Naruto Manga Spoilers:**

**It shouldn't be normal to drool over that woman, seriously. She's not real. But know this, if there was a real-life Konan walking the streets, she'd be mine. I'd steal her away.**

**Am I excited that Pein and his many look-alikes are attacking Konoha? Hells to the yes! Do I feel bad that my favorites from Naruto are Konaha shinobi? I probably should be...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: It wasn't actually a writer's block this time, to tell the truth. I had just left the fandom altogether. But I knew that by letting this go, I was letting a lot of people down. So I'll finish it. Just cause. :D**

**Warning: There's a steamy scene in her so if those sorts of things squick you, you've been warned.**

**Disclaimer: I hold no rights to Naruto and Co.**

**Mood Song: I Can Tell by Saosin**

* * *

_Day Five_

_Banlung, Cambodia_

It was after the tenth "one more time!" of the obscure country song that the girls were belting out-of-tune that Sasuke rose from his seat, making his way down the middle aisle.

"I need off, I need off now," he shouted to Gai, shooting a crooked smile at Temari who was laughing hysterically. Holding onto the metal rail above him that ran the length of the van, Sasuke hopped down the short steps, grimacing at the turbulent clouding overhead.

Cambodia hadn't stopped raining since they entered the damn country. It was now nearing dusk and the skies had let up till only a slight drizzle remained.

Sasuke's feet sunk into the moist ground at the side of the road as he leaned up against the opposite side of the van, inhaling deep breaths of drenched, muggy air.

"Y'okay?" Naruto questioned softly, hanging half out the side of the van.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can I borrow a cigarette?"

"I didn't know you smoked," came the incredulous reply but nevertheless, a smooth papered stick was placed between his fingers.

"I don't," Sasuke replied, placing the tip of the cigarette between his lips. "I just need the comfort of having one with me."

Naruto smiled, rolling his head into the crook of his arm and drumming his fingers against the rusted metal of what could have been called a window. "I thought you said you weren't upset?"

"Just restless, Naruto," Sasuke breathed out in a sigh, eyes fixated on the cattle in the field not far from them. A whoop was heard next to them as Kiba and Temari hopped off the van, heading for the herd of water buffalo.

The two largest steers glanced up from their grass, casting a disgruntled look at the intruders.

"Be careful, they will charge you," Gai warned from the driver's seat, his body turned as if ready to leap.

But the damage was already done. One of the steers bellowed lowly and took off at a dead sprint towards Temari, who was oblivious to the danger. Sasuke saw Kiba's eyes widen in surprise and fear before he tugged on Temari's arm, racing back to the van.

Kiba darted around the opposite side of the vehicle but Temari skid to a stop next to Sasuke. Acting on instinct, he grabbed the woman around the middle and boosted her up to Naruto's arms. Sasuke could hear the steer crash up the small ditch behind him and he quickly scaled the van's side, using the tire as leverage.

The strong head of the bull rammed into the sturdy metal, knocking Sasuke off the edge and into the seat on top of Temari. The woman was laughing uncontrollably, face flushed with happiness. Gai cranked the van and they accelerated, leaving the angry buffalo behind.

"Why the hell are you laughing?" Sasuke demanded, pushing himself up at arm's length above her. "You could have been trampled or gored!"

"Not every fun thing in life is safe, Sasuke," Temari softly reprimanded him, eyes flashing into teal pools of steel. He didn't think she was aware of her next action but she shifted in an effort to move from under him, inadvertently catching her pale silk gauchos underneath his knee and brushing a strong thigh up against his hip.

Temari paused, understanding widening her eyes quickly as she propelled backwards, away from him, averting her gaze to a spot on the floor. Sasuke straightened, fluidly turning his body in the seat. But it was no use trying to ignore the brief yet charged electricity between them.

Temari demurely glanced askew at him, smiling cat-like at his dazed expression. And then she was gone, gracefully moving to her seat in front of Ino at the front of the van.

"I saw that," Naruto whispered playfully behind him, leaning over the seat so his mouth was level with Sasuke's ear.

"Shut up. You didn't see anything," the attorney bit back impatiently, gaining the upper hand on his hormones as they began to fizzle down.

Naruto hummed knowingly in his throat, staring past him at Temari. His face suddenly morphed into something angry and wild, nostrils flaring slightly out of irritation. Sasuke gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, breaking his concentration. Steel blue shifted back and forth, a hint of what Sasuke could see as fear and quiet hostility shining through.

"Almost there!" Gai called out from the front of the van, shifting gears on the ancient vehicle. A collective groan of relief rose up from the group, all thankful that they would be able to feel their own backsides soon. The ride had been long and jarring, the roads unbelievably rough and bumpy along this route.

Naruto retreated back to his own seat and Sasuke resisted the urge to turn around and ask him what the hell just happened. The look in his eyes had been feral and enraged and instead of being cautious and wary like any normal person would have been, Sasuke was intrigued and very, very curious.

The town they happened to pull into wasn't really large enough to call a town at all; in all likelihood, it was probably considered a village by anyone's standards. There was a group of forty or fifty little shacks spread out around the surrounding land and straight through the center was a fairly large and buzzing market.

Familiar.

An old dilapidated sign announced that they were arriving _Banlung _stuck out at an odd angle from the side of the road, narrowly scraping across the side of their high tires.

"See that high-rise up there?" Gai shouted, pointing upwards in the direction of a achingly steep forest-covered mountain. "There is the most magnificent waterfall halfway to the peak and we're going to hike up to it! Is everyone ready for the challenge?"

Surprisingly, the whole van started murmuring in excitement and Sasuke briefly wondered when he, himself, started seeing this trip as an actual vacation instead of an obligation Suigetsu forced upon him. They pulled into the main center of the village, parking next to a group of children playing kickball in the red-tinted dirt.

As everyone worked to get a few things together for the hike up the mountain, Sasuke witnessed a quiet exchange between Gai and Neji at his side of the bus. Gai handed over a sleek 9mm to the other man, who checked the chamber before locking it into place and sliding the weapon into the waistband of his pants.

"Do you think they're expecting us to run into any trouble?" Naruto whispered, coming up to stand next to him, slipping a stick of deodorant and a couple bottles of water into a small shoulder bag he had bought back in Vietnam.

Before Sasuke could form a response, Gai was around to the front of the van and the group settled around him, ready for their instructions.

"It's only a couple miles up the mountain and we'll stop every now and then if anyone needs a break. Thankfully, it looks like the rain clouds are moving back in so it won't be too humid what with the rain and the breeze."

Despite the cheerfulness that he tried to issue forth, everyone groaned at the mention of rain. With a bright smile and quick step, Gai turned a complete about-face and set off into the trail that led up to the mountain.

"Sandals, really Ino?" Sasuke heard Naruto exclaim from behind and he glanced backwards to see Ino trudging along beside him in the mud, frowning at the other's comment.

"They're comfortable to hike in. I've done it before," she replied snootily, shifting her bag on her shoulder.

"Okay," Naruto continued, "if you wind up catching some crazy jungle-rot disease between your little toesies, don't come crying to me."

Sasuke chuckled at the disgusted expression on Ino's face and the even more surprised one on Naruto's as she pelted him with her bag. The pair dashed ahead of him and he surreptitiously ogled the young female's backside, smiling in approval.

Raising his eyes upwards, he could faintly see the mere outline of the peak and was instantly glad that they weren't going all the way up; it would have been a horrendous experience he could do without.

"Sakura hasn't really talked about you during our texts and she always talks about you. Are you two fighting?" Ino suddenly said, eyes stuck to the ground to watch where she was stepping.

Sasuke caught the brief panicked expression on Naruto's face before he swiftly ran a hand through his short hair. "Uh...we're not talking at all. We're not even really dating anymore at that."

Ino stopped mid-stride and fixed her eyes upon Naruto now, mouth dropping open a little bit.

"WHAT?!"

Sasuke heard that one word bounding off the distant mountaintop and the cawing of birds as they were disturbed out of their trees. Not to mention that everyone in the group that were hiking ahead of them turned around to stare.

"Ino, don't yell."

"What, when did this happen!? You guys were in love for like, ever!!"

"Ino, please calm down."

"You guys have been dating since high school, you hardly ever fought. You were going to have beautiful pink and golden-haired children!"

Naruto's eyes softened in sadness at the mention of kids and he glanced away from the upset woman, blinking rapidly. "We...worked it out. It's okay. We're not angry with each other."

Ino went quiet, eyes becoming misty and face flushing. Quietly, she began walking, deftly catching Naruto's palm in hers and squeezing softly, leading him up the mountain.

Sasuke stared up after the two, at their intertwined hands and tried to squash down the jealous feeling he got when he noticed Naruto leaning onto her slightly for support. Yes, Suigetsu was his closest friend but it was his only also. And more often times than not, it felt like the other man stuck around because he didn't know what else to do.

The rain started coming down faster than the fine mist it was when they started out, leaking through the canopy and plastering Sasuke's hair around his face. The rest of the hike was filled with the excited chatter of the rest of the group, who quickly forgot the scene that just happened moments before.

Pretty soon, the roaring sound of a waterfall crashed through the low undergrowth and Gai whooped loudly, pushing through the dense bushes and revealing a brilliant cascade of silky blue shooting from the sky, 70 feet up. Sasuke was so enraptured that he didn't notice when Temari slinks up to his side.

"Beautiful, isn't it? I bet that water feels amazing," she whispered into his ear.

"It's raining," Sasuke replied, glancing sideways out of his eye to study her.

He felt a slight pressure against the base of his spine and it takes Sasuke a moment to figure out it's her hand before she moves away, catching up with Hinata and her brother at the front of the group. Staring after her, confused at her behavior but not stupid enough to notice a flirt when he saw one. She slyly shot a smoldering look over her shoulder, deep-colored eyes sweeping the planes of his face for a reaction.

Perched upon a rock overhanging the clear pool, Sasuke dug out his cell phone and hoped that he had a signal. It was very faint and he would probably only get out a few text messages before he lost connection but it would only take a minute.

_Yesterday when I said I needed help, disregard that. Situation handled._

He smashed the send button and waited a few moments before his backlight flashed and it buzzed in his palm.

_U sure? I dont think u do have it handled, otherwise u wldnt b txting me 2 tell me not 2 worry._

Sasuke smirked at his friend's smartass reply. The group was beginning to get a bit antsy he could tell by their fidgeting along the narrow trail that intersected the waterfall. Standing, he quickly slipped his phone into his back pocket and immersed himself within the others, quickly picking up on the conversation.

"There's not a hotel in this village, so we'll go back down the mountain the other way, loop through the town and get back on the bus. From there, we'll drive onto the next town, which I know has a few hotels to select from," Gai explained.

"I wonder if we can just roll down the hill?" Kiba piped up, helping Hinata traverse some down bracken. "It'd be sure as hell of a lot faster than trying to walk down it."

Hinata giggled at the mental image and clung to Kiba's arm playfully. "No, Kiba-kun, if you roll down the hill, you might hit a few trees."

"Yeah, and if you hit your head, you might become even dumber," Naruto threw in, laughing as Kiba jostled his shoulder in return.

Sasuke smiled to himself, picking up the pace behind the three. Could these people become his friends?

* * *

"Oh man, I'm wiped out!"

Sasuke wrinkled his nose as Naruto fell face-first onto their suite's couch. It hadn't taken them long to find a hotel in the next town and the gods must have been smiling down upon them that day because the hotel they were staying in was a little bit more high-class than the previous ones. For one, they had a double suite. Two bedrooms, one bath and a large sitting room in the middle. And it just seemed natural to choose to room with Naruto when they were dividing up lots.

"Are you going to really fall asleep there and get the couch all muddy?" Sasuke questioned after he saw that Naruto wasn't intending to sit up anytime soon.

"That's the plan," the other man mumbled into the upholstery, kicking off his sandals with his feet where they fell to the hardwood floor with two loud _thunks._

"Suit yourself, I'm going to go take a shower as I have a little more class than you it seems," Sasuke ribbed back, taking pride in the disgruntled look Naruto shot him underneath his arms.

The bathroom was spacious and warm and Sasuke quickly pulled off his damp and slightly muddy clothes and turned on the tap, adjusting it to his idea of a perfect temperature. Bordering on scalding but not quite there.

Stepping in, he sighed loudly at the pleasurable feeling of the hot water cascading over his back. He stood underneath the spray for a good two minutes before he reached for the shampoo and squeezed a dollop into his palm.

It smelled slightly of warm vanilla and he lathered up his dark hair completely, before rinsing. Wringing out his hair with his hands, he shook it out around his face so when he got out it would fall naturally.

He was in the midst of soaping up his body when he heard the door to the bathroom creak open. He paused for a moment, thinking it was Naruto coming in to take a piss and was about to bitch him out for even thinking of flushing the toilet while he was in the shower when the edge of the curtain was pulled open.

Temari stepped in wordlessly, fully clothed in the outfit she had been wearing that day. She stayed at the opposite end of the shower, just standing and gazing into his face with such an open honesty with her intentions that Sasuke couldn't even think of being embarrassed or shy and cover up his junk.

Quietly, she reached forward and grasped onto the soap in his hand. Smoothly she ran that palm across the expanse of his torso, fingernails gently scraping against his skin. Despite the heat at his back, goosebumps rose up on his body. She then let the soap drop to the tile below them with a clunk and moved her hands to her hips, deftly sliding her soaked silk pants off.

Sasuke probably should have been surprised that she wasn't wearing any underwear but with what was going on right this second, he wasn't in the slightest. All it took was her to brace her right hand against the wall and he swept forward, roughly knocking her into the back wall of the shower, latching onto her mouth with his own.

Her strong thighs came up to wrap around his legs and he couldn't have moved even if he wanted to. Sasuke dropped his head to her breasts, lavishing each with attention.

Her pants became louder in his ear, even muffled with the shower still running behind them. "Now, it's okay. It's safe."

Sasuke paused for a moment, catching the meaning behind her words. Sliding her farther up the tile, he shifted quickly and pushed his way home, groaning at the heat that enveloped him.

Her curves were soft but there were so many parts of her that were violent and unforgiving and her release came a lot quicker than he intended. She scooted off the wall, pushing him back under the spray of the shower. Placing a warm, open-mouthed kiss to his collarbone, she ran her hand up his length, finishing him off in the matter of minutes.

And like a ghost that hadn't really visited, she scooped up her soaking pants from the bottom of the tub, wrung them out and slid them back on, throwing one last glance over her shoulder before scooting out the bathroom.

Sasuke leaned his weight against the wall and caught his breath. Did that just really happen or had he been imagining things? He glanced down at his body, slightly annoyed that he would have to clean himself off all over again and reached for the soap.

There was a knock on the door and he heard the soft patter of feet as they entered the bathroom. He almost figured it was Temari until he heard the sound of someone taking a leak. Letting out an uneven sigh, he shut off the tap.

The toilet flushed seconds after and Sasuke stepped out, quickly wrapping a towel around his waist. Naruto was standing in the middle of the bathroom, arms crossed over his shirt, which had a large wet splatter across the front.

"A loud noise woke me up and when I came to check to make sure you hadn't slipped and hit your head and was drowning in the tub, I literally run into Temari, soaking wet from head to toe. So, my question is, was it a good enough fuck to wake me up over?" Naruto explained, smiling wryly.

"Oh shut up," Sasuke shot back, moving to the sink to brush his teeth, catching Naruto's smirk in the mirror.

"Do you think there's any pretty Asian women for me to get with?"

"They'd have to be blind or incredibly drunk to get with you, Naruto," Sasuke stated matter-of-fact. The blonde man's expression of woe was almost enough to make Sasuke bust out laughing.

Almost. But doing that would have splattered the mirror with toothpaste. And Naruto would most definitely laugh. Nevertheless, that thought alone caused it to happen and Naruto did indeed fall to the floor, holding his stomach together.

Sasuke lobbed the toothpaste at the other's head.

* * *

**Author's Note: I wanted to make it end happy in a friendshippy sort of way. I probably made Temari out to be a whore, which isn't the case.**

**Blah. Oh well.**

**: ) I'm baaaccck.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: I fell asleep and dreamt I was a pilot. **_**I was flying.**_** And also during that odd little scene, I came up with the ideas for the next couple chapters. They're in the rough and it's tedious, but oh, do I love doing it.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto and Co. does not belong to me as an individual. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposes only.**

**Mood Song: Time by Timbaland Feat. She Wants Revenge**

* * *

_Day Five - Day Six_

_Stung Treng, Cambodia - cross-country_

The night air was balmy and one could almost feel the moisture in the wind as the group approached the bright lights and signs of the strip of nightclubs located a couple blocks from the hotel. There was a charged energy ricocheting through everyone, all eager to party and drink till they dropped.

Even Hinata had a certain aura about her that hinted at a vixen hidden underneath the layers of modest clothing she wore. It was the night that everyone would begin to let loose and start to _really_ enjoy the trip that was bestowed about them.

Sasuke noticed as they entered the club, that the girls immediately floated off to the side together to pick out a large round booth at the back, signaling to a waiter to bring drinks. Naruto was next to him, dressed in a button-down and dark wash jeans. He was going to comment on the other's faded Chuck high-tops but decided against it; it would do no good to try and change the man's sense of fashion now.

Naruto's intense eyes scanned the club for a few moments, whistling lowly and nudging Sasuke. "Check out the hotties on the other side."

A group of women were dancing in a cluster out on the dancefloor and some of them were even eyeing the newcomers with what looked like mild interest. There were a couple that were passable in Sasuke's eyes; one tall woman with long, chestnut hair and one with dyed platinum hair with a large chest and pouty lips.

A new song started playing and their girls hopped up onto the platform stage, dancing in a group and laughing together. They were talking in hushed whispers and before Sasuke could protest, Ino came forward and latched onto his wrist, dragging him onto the floor. Thankfully, he noticed that all of the guys except Kankuro and Neji had been drug up, even Gaara who just stood there impassively with his arms crossed. Sasuke snickered at the shocked expression on his face as Ino clumsily tried to get him to sway his hips to the music a bit, even going so far as to blatantly stare at the slim, manicured fingers that were settled on his hips.

Temari slunk up behind him and placed a tall drink in his hand, complete with a little pink umbrella. "Here, taste this." Sasuke took a sip, wincing a bit at the overly tangy flavor that raped his tastebuds. Though it did taste pretty good.

"What kind of alcohol is in this?"

"Vodka, I'm pretty sure. I wouldn't drink more than a couple though. After that, you start to lose your bearings a bit and then you wake up with a really sour taste in your mouth." She winked at him before disappearing into the crowd, no doubt finding someone to dance with.

Sasuke suddenly felt a slap on his shoulder and he jostled forward, turning around to glare at the offending hand. "Naruto, watch it, you made me almost spill this!"

"Look--look at them!!" he cried in response, pointing a finger at a corner of the stage where Kiba and Hinata was. "I didn't think she had it in her."

Kiba was standing behind her, awfully close to just be talking and he had his hands on her waist, slowly instructing her how to grind.

Though Hinata's face was lit up like a firecracker, a genuine smile graced her lips and she slowly tilted her head back so that Kiba could give her a quick peck on the nose.

Sasuke hummed lowly in his throat, finally accepting that Kiba wasn't that bad of a guy and knew that he would treat her right. Rolling his eyes, he quickly grabbed Naruto by the shoulders and spun him around away from the couple, the man's jaw quickly following suit.

"I knew something was going on between those two," the man exclaimed, thumping a fist into his hand.

"Here, drink this," Sasuke placed his drink in Naruto's hands, "and stop trying to ruin people."

Naruto sneered over the rim of the drink but quickly latched onto the edge, downing it in a couple gulps. "All I'm saying is that she's a nice girl and deser--"

"And he's a good guy, now chill and go dance with Ino; she looks lonely."

Naruto glanced over at the blonde woman, who didn't look lonely at all, wrapped up in conversation with the enigmatic Gaara. "Huh," was all that was said before Naruto dug in his jeans pocket for his smokes.

"Want one?" he questioned, waving them around in Sasuke's face. The lawyer made a face but moved to follow Naruto out the club's door.

They were barely out the dark entrance before Sasuke felt something blunt strike him on the back of his neck and he fell forward, catching his weight on his hands. Spots blossomed up in clouds before his vision and he could taste bile at the back of his throat.

"Who the hell are you?!" Naruto's voice rang out and the sound of a scuffle and Sasuke briefly wondered what kind of trouble they were in before he sank into the deep oblivion that was unconsciousness.

* * *

A jolt skittered underneath him, vibrating his spinal cord all the way to the base of his brain and he came to with a heavy gasp. Sasuke blinked open his eyes, noticing how his eyelashes stuck together in spots, whether from blood or sweat he did not know. His hands were bound tightly behind his back and aching with pain from his weight being laid on them the whole time he was out.

Rolling his body sideways, he felt hot, sticky bile rise up in his throat and he barely had time to make it to his knees before he emptied his stomach all over the metal floor.

"Fuck Sasuke," a raspy voice said next to him and he glanced over, gasping at the condition Naruto was him. The man's hands were also bound along with his feet yet he was sitting up, back against the side of the trailer. A sharp cut ran from his temple to his chin on one side and both eyes were blackened.

"God, what did they do to us?" Sasuke cried out quietly, crawling as best as he could to Naruto to inspect some of his more serious wounds. They looked to be in the back of a semi, judging by the length and height of the trailer they were trapped in. The road underneath their tires was rough and jutted and with each bump and jolt, Sasuke began to feel more and more nauseous.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Naruto shook his head no, biting his already bloodied lip in concentration. His face contorted into a grimace of pain as his arms suddenly sprang free in front of him, purpled from lack of blood flow.

"Ah, ah shit," he cursed quietly, rubbing and wiggling his fingertips as the ghostly, painful feeling returned. Quietly, he took a small pocketknife that he had in his hands and cut through the tie at his feet, immediately turning Sasuke around so he could cut his hands loose, also.

The lawyer gasped wetly, backing up so he could lean against the metal siding. "Who are these guys? Did you get a good look at their faces?"

"Yes, of course and then we all sat around and talked about the weather afterwards. No, I didn't get a good look at their faces, they were too busy beating me upside the head!" Naruto berated.

It was quiet for a few moments before Naruto chuckled. "God, that vomit's gonna start stinking in a few moments."

"Sorry," Sasuke bit out in reply, irritated at how weak he was feeling in the current situation.

They say when one door closes, another opens. What they should have said that in some situations, an escape about the size of a window may show its face and that you should take what you get. It was after another couple minutes that the truck started slowing down.

"Okay, they're going to notice that we've cut ourselves loose so when they open this back here, I'm going to create a distraction and I want you to get out and run. Don't look back no matter what happens or what you hear, run." Naruto was staring him down now, eyes shining brightly with reserved determination. "Don't stop for anything Sasuke, I mean it."

Sasuke shook his head sharply. "You know I can't do that. I can't leave you behind like that."

"Yes, you will."

Whatever excuses Sasuke was going to come up next was pushed away as the truck came to an abrupt stop and the voices of men could be heard outside.

"Okay, be ready when I say," Naruto whispered, moving closer to the door of the trailer.

"Don't do this; you know I'm not going to leave you behind Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, at the same time that the doors swung open, blinding them for a few moments with piercing daylight.

"NOW!"

Naruto's voice rippled through his insides and he paused for just a half-second as the blonde man threw himself at the nearest guy with a gun, knocking him to the ground. Steeling his nerves, he sprinted out the back of the truck, landing on the ground and using his arms to brace his fall before he was back up and running with everything he had in him.

"What the fuck?!" Yells and shouts were heard behind him as the men scrambled around, stunned.

The loud, screeching discharge of a gun sounded in the air and Sasuke visibly flinched, forcing himself to keep running and not look back.

_Don't do it. Keep running; do what he says. Don't look back, don't look back, don't look back!_

A choked sound bubbled up in Sasuke's chest and leaked out of his mouth but he kept running, dashing to the nearest dense foliage of jungle he came upon. Some sort of thorns or prickly plant scraped against his exposed arms but he ignored it, glancing wildly around to find a place to hide. A few yards away there was a sharp drop where the ground sloped and he hurdled over it, backing himself up in the narrow gully that the ridge created.

"Did he go through here?" a deep voice sounded from somewhere behind him and Sasuke held his breath to not give away his heavy breathing. Slowly, he exhaled quietly out his nose, forcing his body to calm down and get a grip on reality.

"The trees are knocked down in these parts so I think so; he probably took off into the jungle," the seconds man's voice was decidedly English with no trace of a Asian accent at all. Footsteps crunched on the wet moss and leaves above his head and he held very still, convinced that the slightest movement would give away his position.

"There's nothing here, we'll have to tell Nhean he got away after all," the Cambodian man addressed his partner.

"You do that and it'll be your head on the chopping block, remember?"

A scoff was heard. "It's not like the guy already hates my guts either way; he's still sore about me knocking up his sister. Again."

"That was a fool move, bastard, even if his sister is a little whore."

It was only after the two walked away laughing that Sasuke allowed himself to breathe, taking in deep gulps of air as quietly and quickly as he could. There was no denying it; he couldn't leave Naruto behind especially knowing that he could have been shot and in need of his help. This Nhean fellow already seemed like the type to be a die-hard sadist and he wasn't going to let Naruto endure his wrath anymore than he had to.

He raised his eyes skyward; there was no hope in trying to break Naruto free in broad daylight, he would have to do this under the cloak of night. But could he bide his time like this? If Naruto had been shot, could he be dying right now? Just waiting around for Sasuke to come and save his life? It was all so confusing and if Sasuke wasn't a better man, he would have left and let the man deal with his own problems.

But there was no way he was going to let these guys hurt him. A fierce protective streak sprung up in the Japanese man and he gritted his teeth in frustration, sneaking through the wet trees in the direction of where the truck was. Naruto was his friend and he wasn't going to leave him there to die!

He patted his pockets, knowing before he even looked that they had taken his wallet and phone from him; no doubt so he wouldn't have a chance to call for help. Great, the one time he needed the damn phone it wasn't there.

He was surprised at how far he ran as he still hadn't come up upon the truck. For a brief disconcerting moment, he had the feeling he was getting himself lost in this horrible jungle but he squashed the fear down and crept to the edge of the trees, where the road sat, patiently waiting.

Peeking out, he could dimly see the semi still parked in the middle of the road, next to what looked to be a huddle of small wooden shanties. Night wouldn't come for another couple hours judging by the sun in the sky and he was amazed that it had been a whole day since they were kidnapped till now. Who knew what they were planning; if they were just wanting to rob them and kill them, their bodies would surely be lying in some ditch somewhere by now.

Settling down among the moss, he crouched and prayed that Naruto was alright and safe and quietly cursed the slowness of dusk.

_I know you told me not to stop running; but this is something you can't talk me out of. You're my friend, I can't just leave you like this. Fool, you'll thank me for this in the end if I don't wind up getting us both killed for it._

* * *

**Author's Notes: Short? Yes, I do think so. But this chapter was obviously crucial to the plot and I wanted to break it off here so that when the next chapter comes in, it'll be dark by then and all the action can start happening.**

**Nhean is Cambodian for intuitive, knowledgeable and I didn't pick the name based on the definition but more so on how foreboding it sounded out of the list I was given. :D**

**So, yes, this story hasn't met an abrupt end. Even if I'm not an active part of the fandom anymore, I can still enjoy writing a good piece. Stick with me; I can only promise it'll be worth it.**

**If there's any questions or comments you want to make with something that isn't clear or you just want to drop a line, please do so in a review or a PM.**

**tschüs!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Gaikokujin**_

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: I feel really good about this one.**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

**Mood Song: They Don't Care About Us by Michael Jackson**

* * *

_Day Six - Day Seven_

_jungles of Cambodia; somewhere near Stung Treng_

The mosquitoes are horrible and Sasuke figured he's slapped about a dozen in the past four minutes where they've landed and drank their fill. He was going to end up catching West Nile or malaria or some equally horrible disease. The men have been rotating sentries for the past hour and a half and it was just beginning to grow dark enough for Sasuke to sneak around without calling attention to himself.

Despite the seemingly macho exterior he was putting on show, his insides rumbled, distraught with anxiety and fear. He didn't know how to use a gun if he got a hold of one and he had a feeling he was going to need it. So many doubts rushed through his head but Sasuke had already made up his mind; he was busting into that place and rescuing Naruto.

Only problem was that he didn't know which shack exactly he was being kept in. His original idea was to watch anyone who was carrying food back and forth and go to that one first but no one had been doing such. They were starving him probably so he'd be weak and wouldn't put up much resistance.

Finally the dull light of the sun shrank behind the trees and pitched the area into a dusky green haze that settled down around the ground like an eerie fog. Sasuke waited till one of the men retreated around the side of the shack before he cautiously sprinted forward, keeping his body low to the ground. His back protested but he silently crept up to the very edge of the clapboard, calming his breathing. When the man approached this side of the building, he would smoothly snap the man's neck. Could he do that? Could he kill another living, breathing human being, especially considering his profession in life? A man of justice, of moral?

"Hey Veha, come here for a sec! Check out this wiggle worm!" a man's voice rang through the night air and Sasuke could feel Veha, the man he was going to kill, pause. "Leave your gun there; if he sees it he's not very agreeable. It's okay, we've got him tied up, he's not getting loose."

Sasuke seethed quietly under his breath, that "wiggle worm" they were speaking about was Naruto, no doubt. There was a clink of metal, presumably Veha laying down his weapon and Sasuke could see the short-stature man walk towards the dark doorway of the shack opposite.

A thin curl of smoke rose up in the hair, illuminated by the streetlight a few yards away. Sasuke caught sight of the yellowed eyes of the man smoking, the guy who had called out and shrank back, afraid that he could see him.

Eventually, both men retreat into the building and Sasuke could hear their quiet laughter echo from within. Acting quickly, he scrambled around the side of the building and grabbed onto the semi-automatic rifle that was laying in the grass.

The weapon felt awkward and dangerous in his hands, like a coiled mamba. Lethal. Deadly. A string of shots suddenly went off across the field and Sasuke could see the dim orange light of a fire and group of men standing out, drinking and firing their weapons at random.

Perfect.

Creeping forward with the gun, he made his way towards the shack where Naruto was being kept. From inside, the men were still laughing and now speaking in their native tongue. Taking a deep breath and sending a prayer to whatever god that was listening, Sasuke pushed open the light-weight wooden door and leveled the gun in front of his body.

"What the?!"

Veha only got out two words before Sasuke awkwardly pointed the gun at him and closed his eyes, pulling his finger towards his body. He didn't expect the violent backfire the gun would put on his body and he stumbled a bit, bracing his shoulder against the wall behind him. The other man came at him stupidly, his cigarette falling to the ground and getting crushed underfoot. Something glinted in the moonlight and Sasuke didn't have time to move before a sharp pain skittered up his shoulder as the man sliced at his arm.

He slammed his foot into the man's knee, breathing heavily. The other fell backwards with a groan. Raising the gun at the man's head, Sasuke cringed as red blossomed the front of his shirt.

"Die, you son-of-a-bitch," he yelled brokenly before pulling down on the trigger once more, creating a large depression where the man's face once leered. Blood splattered against the wall behind the body and his limp form fell forward, face-first, into the dirt.

Shaking and heaving quietly, Sasuke grasped a hand around his injured shoulder, grimacing at the tiny trails of blood that slipped from in-between his fingers. Naruto was lying up against the far wall, chest barely moving with each ragged breath that passed between the man's lips.

At first, what Sasuke guessed as shadows falling across Naruto's face were actually deep, dark bruises and a surge of hate filled his chest. He dropped to his knees next to the blonde-haired man, hands randomly roaming over his body, inspecting for any life-threatening wounds.

Like bullet holes.

A terse sigh of relief filtered out of Sasuke's nose at the lack of serious injury. They had fired a gun; just not at Naruto. Despite that, the man was beaten up pretty badly and Sasuke could only hope that he could rouse the other and get him to his feet so they could sneak away without calling attention to themselves.

"Naruto, man, come on, you've got to get up." Sasuke shook his shoulder a little, carefully, in case there were injuries there as well. A soft groan rose up from the man, moments before his eyes cracked open. Immediately, Sasuke recognized the hazy cloud of pain that covered his irises and he gently lifted him into a sitting position.

Naruto cried out softly, raising an arm to his swollen face to gingerly touch the puffy dark circles around his eyes. He frowned quietly before he caught sight of the two dead bodies occupying the small room.

"Oh god," trickled out between his lips.

"They were going to kill you," Sasuke explained in a near-whisper, pulling Naruto into a standing position. The blonde-haired man cursed quietly under his breath at the weight he was putting on legs that had long since fallen asleep.

"We need to get out of here," Naruto stated, surprisingly clear-headed and straight-forward. Stumbling towards the door, half-supported by Sasuke, he looked out for a moment to see if the coast was clear.

"How did you get here?" Naruto asked, turning to Sasuke and in the cool light of the moon, the bruises on the man's face seemed to glow softly. Sasuke softened at the sight, wishing he had come to rescue him earlier than he had.

"The trees start not too far in front of us, I know a place in there that we can hide till morning."

Naruto was quiet, fixing him with a gaze that flipped Sasuke's stomach on itself. "Okay, ready?"

Sasuke was taken aback at how stealthy Naruto was being, despite being more than just a little banged-up. He quickly followed the man, keeping his body low to the ground and squeezing his palm over his shoulder, despite the pain, to prevent leaking any blood on the ground and creating a trail that would lead the men towards them.

In record time, they were in the protection of the heavy jungle and Sasuke led the way now to the cave-like depression he had found earlier in the day. Breathing heavily, he flopped down onto the mossy ground, groaning in pain as the action jarred his shoulder horribly.

Naruto noticed the action and stripped off his over-shirt, kneeling next to him and deftly winding the shirt around Sasuke's arm and tying it off sharply. Sasuke winced as the rough material bit into the open wound and he could feel the area under his skin above his shoulder grow warm with blood.

"I told you not to come back; you wouldn't be hurt if you had just kept going," Naruto's voice was cutting and harsh, a lot harsher than a normal person would be if their life had just been saved.

"I couldn't leave you behind with those guys and you damn well know it," Sasuke spat, throwing a handful of jungle debris at the man's lap.

Naruto scoffed and dropped to the ground across from him. "You could too have."

"Don't fuck me over for my good intentions!" Sasuke couldn't remember a time he had been this mad; he was practically seething. How dare Naruto berate him for doing something good!

A soft sigh escaped Naruto. "I'm sorry; I just didn't want to see you get hurt on my account." He fell silent then, idly playing with a stick on the ground next to him. "Thank you though, for saving my life and all."

Sasuke frowned and averted his eyes. He didn't want to deal with this right now. "Did you ever learn what they were after?" he questioned, trying to change the subject to get his mind off his shoulder and his quickly-rising temper. He must have unconsciously closed his hand back over the makeshift bandage because Naruto frowned and batted it away.

"It's just a flesh wound, nothing to worry about. It hurts a lot worse than it looks, I promise."

The explanation didn't assuage Sasuke's fears. What if he caught an infection out here before they were able to get back to their group? Speaking of which, he wondered if they were even looking for them let alone know that they were missing. Sometimes Gai could be so ditzy at times that he forgot his cell phone in the hotel and had to run back and get it or forgot to fill up the tank to the behemoth and they sputtered out of gas on a lone highway, having to wait for a native to happen along and help them.

His body ached in all the wrong places, a product of being tied up for 24+ hours and laying low in the shadows of the jungle for the entirety of the day. A loud grumble sounded to his right and he was made aware of how hungry, particularly thirsty, he was right then.

"I'm starving," Naruto spoke softly, stretching out on his back and raising his face to the cool canopy above him. "Are we safe enough here to sleep?"

"Yeah, the ledge is pretty steep and it'd be hard to navigate around here in the dark. Besides, we'd hear them coming way before they ever stumbled upon us."

"That's nice." The other man's voice was lethargic and surprisingly calm. "I'm sorry you got hurt."

Sasuke curled over on his good shoulder, tucking his face into the crook of his arms, forming a makeshift pillow. Naruto's breathing was evening out slowly but surely and he knew pretty soon the blonde man would lose to unconsciousness. "I'm sorry you got hurt, too."

Naruto hummed lowly in his throat and Sasuke felt him blindly reach over with his hand, pat at the ground a few times when he missed, before settling it's warm weight at the curvature of where his side met his hip.

Sasuke felt a mosquito land on the narrow patch of skin between his eyebrows and frowned dutifully at it. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

He must have passed out sometime early in the morning because his first coherent thought was Naruto shaking him awake frantically. "Come on, get up bastard! They're going to find us!"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open with painful clarity, making him temporarily blind as the brightness of the jungle around him caused his pupils to shrink. He sat up and in the same instant was on his feet and racing after Naruto, deeper into the overgrown lush of trees.

The tall canopy seemed to get denser the further they went and pretty soon, it was hard to move without bumping or scraping into a tree. It took all of Sasuke's willpower to not cry out when his bad shoulder brushed roughly up against the thick hollow of a tree.

Pausing for a moment, he toed off his dress shoes, knowing that any hope of outrunning the men behind them with guns would be highly diminished if he were to go racing about in his shiny loafers. Naruto kept urging him to speed up and Sasuke glared at the man's back, wondering how in the hell he was able to move that quickly after having been beat nearly to a pulp the day before.

Or maybe it was Sasuke's imagination that he was hurt that badly...

They came upon a tall, fallen tree, that was still partially suspended in the air, held up only be the trees around it. Judging by the thick overgrowth that enveloped it, it had been down for a long while. Naruto, without any hesitation, raced up the trunk heading for the steep cliff-like sides next to it that led to a flatter, more stable land above.

The embankment that fell to their left was mossy and steep yet the way the tree they were on had fallen gave them enough room to walk and possibly even sit. Sasuke could feel the hollow sound of his heart thumping wildly behind his ribcage. He inhaled a shallow breath as he looked over the edge, feeling sick to his stomach at how high up they were.

In front of him, Naruto stepped lightly, balance easily intact. Sasuke sunk his bare toes into the moist, grassy moss, ignoring the squelchy feeling beneath his feet to get a better grip on the dead tree. The shouts of the men were growing louder behind them and the foliage that surrounded and obscured them from view gave him little comfort.

"Almost there," Naruto breathed, reaching behind with his hand towards him. Sasuke took another step forward, panicking when he felt the weak, rotten spot beneath his foot.

As if Naruto could sense the silent danger, he spun around, grabbing onto Sasuke's arm as he slipped off the side of the tree ledge. Gravity pulled at his body, immediately causing the place where his arm was being gripped by Naruto's hand ache. His injured shoulder burned in protest and the tight bandage cut into his skin, cutting off blood circulation. He swung his legs up, desperate to get a footing on the log just as the violent discharge of a bullet embedded into a tree next to him.

"I don't want to do this anymore!" Sasuke yelled, feeling hot, traitorous tears welling up behind his eyes. Naruto heaved him up and he grasped onto the blonde man's shoulders strongly, frustration causing his body to shake. Another shot rang out, this time even closer, and Naruto was on his feet at once pulling Sasuke behind him.

The ledge suddenly took a long veer to the ground they were heading to and Naruto sprinted down its base, helping Sasuke find his footing down the rotten log. Now they were separated from the drug lords by the long embankment and Naruto squatted down low, breathing heavily.

Sasuke gasped as quietly as he could, plopping to the ground and wrapping his arms around his legs to qualm the horrible shivers that were taking over his body. A sense of despair and nausea washed over him like a blanket and he buried his head into the crook of his knees, biting down on his tongue till he could taste blood.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, I'm here. They haven't got you. I'm here." He felt Naruto by his side instantly, cradling his body protectively. Sasuke shook underneath the familiar weight surrounding him and he let loose. The whole time he had been the strong one; the one guiding them and getting them free. The one who killed to save a life. Now with Naruto there by his side, he had no more reason to be the hero.

He could be the coward now.

It started as a quiet quake before his sobs escalated into something more; something ripped down deep inside of him and dragged to the surface. Every breath he took in was immediately forced back out, becoming more ragged each time. It was almost like crying backwards, trying to swallow your tears and gasps instead of letting them out.

Naruto held him as close as possible, covering Sasuke's mouth with his palm to force the man to start breathing out of his nose and to muffle the sound of his sobs so they could stay hidden a bit longer. Sasuke's feet kicked at the ground in front of him almost like a mini temper tantrum a spoiled child would create.

And maybe it was a tantrum. Getting sick with running for their lives and wondering if they'll die any second. That kind of stuff would wear anybody down. In an effort to probably subdue him and keep him from hurting himself, Naruto deftly swung his body around and straddled the man's legs with his own, easing Sasuke backwards onto the ground.

From there, he laid with his face pressed into the crook of the other's neck, where the soft tresses of hair tickled the tops of his ears. Naruto's right arm came around to cradle his head against the other's. His mother used to hold him like this back when he was little; he remembered that much. And he also knew that it was the best way to calm someone, assure someone that they're sticking around through the bad times.

Sasuke shuddered out a few more sobs before he quieted, laying still in Naruto's embrace. The crunching sound of footsteps in the leaves came closer and Sasuke winced, squinting back a fresh wave of hysteria.

"Did we lose them?" The man's voice was thick and hacking like that of a chain-smoker. There was no reply so he figured the other men had shrugged or shook their heads.

"Ah, hell, Nhean's going to tear my head off and shit down my neck. Those boys know where our camp is! They've seen our faces!" The chain-smoker seemed distraught, not wanting to face his boss's wrath when he returned. "Let's just say that we lost them over the ridge, they fell to their deaths and got washed away with the river. Does that sound good to all of you?"

A murmur of agreement rose up and Sasuke nearly started crying again, this time in relief as he heard their retreating footsteps. He laid still for a moment and worked on calming his breathing and his racing heart. Naruto still clung to his side fervently, nearly burying his head into Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke jolted when he felt a warm pair of lips connect with his flushed skin as Naruto placed a quiet, chaste kiss right below his ear. "I just figured," the man began, whispering even though he didn't need to anymore, "that if we don't make it out of here in one piece, that you have to right to know that I've really started to care about you and I'm sorry that I've got you in all this mess."

Sasuke sat very still, listening to the other breathe and thinking about Naruto's relationship with his ex-girlfriend. He had pretty much told him that Sakura was his world and he knew deep down he could never compare to that. Naruto deserved so much better than him so he made up his mind, he wasn't going to take advantage of Naruto's sort-of offer. He wasn't going to give the man another reason to think life was out to run him over.

Slowly, Naruto got to his feet, offering his hand down to help pull Sasuke up. "It's going to take some walking but the jungle's gotta end sometime, right? Once we find a road, we'll get help and get back with our friends."

He smiled once and that was all it took. Sasuke was convinced. Brushing off his backside, he quickly fell into step behind the slightly taller man and pushed his way through the unforgiving jungle around them.

_Do you miss the blend Of colours she left in your black and white field Do you feel condemned just being there?_

_- Sowing Season (Brand New)_

* * *

**Author's Note: Rawr! There you go, another chapter completed in my free time off from school and personal life. :D I hope you like. Any questions go in the review button or a PM.**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Gaikokujin**_

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: I apologize for the delay this has taken getting this up, I really have been working on it, honest. :) I just needed a direction to end it with. And for future reference, I want to be lost with Naruto in a jungle any day. At least then, I'll know I'll get out eventually. ETA: added to the fact that this site was down since Friday! when I checked and went to upload this chapter. So hurray for late delays. :) I like to feel that my email to them made the difference. :) Rawr, I have superiority complexes.**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

**Mood Song: Miss Misery by Elliott Smith**

* * *

_Day Seven_

_jungles of Cambodia - Phnum Penh, Cambodia_

"Getting out of a jungle is a lot easier said than done, that's for sure," Sasuke called out to Naruto a couple paces ahead of him, who was hacking through the vines and foliage with the back of his arm.

"I bet we're out...of here...by nightfall," came the labored reply. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the beads of sweat rolling down the other man's forehead, feeling irked that Naruto had told him that he wasn't allowed to help clear the way because of his shoulder.

But to be honest, it wasn't like he could have set himself up to do much of anything. Ever since the late morning sun broke the horizon of treetops and the incessant humidity squashed down around them like a fat aunt at Thanksgiving, Sasuke could feel the sore ligaments and tendons and _blood_ heat up inside his shoulder, and every few jarring steps caused a tremendous amount of pain to shoot forth from that place.

He made up his mind that getting stabbed was not fun, and dealing with the repercussions and the nausea and the pain was even less fun. Not to mention every time he swallowed, it felt like eating tacks. Sasuke could vaguely remember the last time he had eaten, and that was before they had left the hotel, two nights before and the only thing he had to drink in the meantime was the strong drink Temari had handed him in the club. Every so often, he could hear Naruto's stomach let out a long, loud grumble, and his own responded in turn.

"We need to find a creek or something sometime soon and see if we can find some water, I'm practically dying of thirst." Naruto's voice echoed around the dense foliage, and Sasuke stumbled on his feet, hissing as he caught his shoulder in his other hand.

Concerned eyes fell upon him, but he waved Naruto away, insisting quietly that he was fine, just tripped over a branch back there. Naruto signaled for him to wait there for a second before he goes traipsing off into the trees, leaving him chagrined and irritated. He didn't like it when they didn't stick together.

Carefully, he sunk to the forest floor, sighing heavily in exhaustion. Taking his index finger, he barely lifted part of the shirt around his arm, wincing at the bloodied flesh he found underneath. If he didn't tend to it soon, infection would no doubt find its way into the wound. If he didn't die of dehydration first. How long could a body go without water? A week?

The crack of twigs announced Naruto's arrival back. "Come on, I found one." Slowly, Sasuke stood and followed the man through the precarious undergrowth that he was quickly growing to hate.

The stream Naruto had found was about waist-deep and muddy-murky and Sasuke had a brief moment of apprehension at the possibility of snakes or leeches but those thoughts were quickly gone as his bare toes touched the edge of the cool water.

Stripping carefully, he waded into the water until his lower half was totally obscured, rolling his eyes at the cannonball splash that a nude Naruto created next to him. The blonde man came up sputtering and rubbing water out of his eyes but the happiest grin graced his tan face.

"Haha, I can see your tan lines," Naruto laughed, pointing at the fine line where Sasuke's arm went from alabaster white to a orange-undertone brown. Glaring, he sunk down beneath the water quickly until it came up right under his nose. A horde of hair bubbles rose up as Sasuke blew heavily out his mouth at the stinging pressure the water created on his cut. Naruto cast him a concerned look before wading back towards the bank and dragging their clothes into the water.

"What are you doing? You're going to lose them!" Sasuke exclaimed, rising up and making a lunge towards Naruto.

"Chill, I'm not going to lose our stuff," he smiled back, holding the sopping mess above his head. "It's no use getting clean and putting on the same sick clothes."

"How close do you think we're to a road or village?" Sasuke said, quieting down and unwinding the shirt around his shoulder to get a better look at the stinging wound.

"I don't know, -- hey! Try not to get the water directly in that. I'll find some way to boil it clean or something."

Sasuke must have made a horrified face because Naruto chuckled, splashing the water around him. "The water, not your shoulder!" Slowly, he waded out of the water, slipping into his soaking wet boxers as he went. Sasuke tried to suppress the blush that rose to his cheeks but it was most likely futile.

The water was starting to get too warm and the soft lull of the river against the bank was making him nauseous. After finding a shady mossy area a couple feet from the creek, he lay down, dropping the cooling shirt over his lower half for modesty's sake.

Naruto was moving about constantly, collecting twigs and dry leaves and scooping them into a pile close to Sasuke. He dug around in his jeans pockets until he produced a lighter, holding it up triumphantly.

"I filched it from one of the men the first hour I was there. It was hella funny watching him roam around looking for a light."

Within a few moments he had a small fire going, the flames licking gently at the dried grass.

"Uh, I was a boy scout," Naruto explained sheepishly, squinting into the sun.

"Good job, Cowboy," Sasuke teased lightly. Naruto stood from his crouch, dusting his hands together.

"Thanks...Jadebud," he laughed back, easily dodging the clump of sod Sasuke threw at him. The Japanese man watched as he walked around the trees a bit, before stripping a large piece of wet, flimsy bark from one of them.

Gathering a few sticks lying around him, he pushed the ends into each side of the bark, before balancing it over the fire, so that it formed a sort of hollowed out bowl. Scooping his hands in the river at his side, he cupped a handful of water and carefully poured the contents into the bowl.

"Boiling water?" Sasuke asked incredulously, fearing that Naruto was some sort of alien or something for knowing how to do all this survival stuff.

"Yeah, the bark is soaked because it's a rainforest, right, so it isn't going to burn. But the water in here will get hot and once it's boiled, it's safe to drink and to use."

"Where did you learn all this?"

Naruto shrugged flippantly. "Books, television, stuff I've picked up over the years. Movies always make it seem like it's some great epic battle to survive out in the wilderness. It's mainly just knowing when to use your head and what not to eat or drink. And while that gets hot..."

He stood once more and started inspecting the trees again, this time focusing on the large, frond-shaped leaves. After a moment, he returned once more, delicately holding a couple of fronds in his hand. "These had the most dew on them, and if you're still thirsty, I'll go get some more."

Sasuke took the proffered frond and held it up to his face. "You're wanting me to drink the moisture off this leaf?"

Naruto paused, his tongue already licking halfway up the frond he was holding. "Uh yeah...unless you rather drink from Mr. Muddy Stream over there. No telling what kind of bacteria is festering in that mess, y'know."

Sasuke sniffed, before tentatively touching his tongue to the soft plant, grimacing that he was actually, truly sucking on a leaf. Naruto shifted to where he was sitting next to Sasuke, legs spread out in front of him.

"Hey, look. I know this isn't easy but I promised I'd get you out of here. And I know you're thirsty, you were probably well on your way to becoming dehydrated even. I know it's hard but could you at least try to work with me here?"

Sasuke turned his head sharply towards the man, finally realizing how close the other was to his own face. The proximity of the Naruto's nose nearly brushed his cheek. He narrowed his eyes at Naruto before turning back to the frond he held in his hands.

"I'm sorry I'm not being the most happiest camper here or something but if you hadn't realized, we're kinda sorta LOST in this fucking jungle here. And yes, I'm dying of hunger and thirst, and yes, I've been stabbed, and yes, we've both been beat up and yes, I realize that fucking Mr. Muddy Stream right fucking there has a breeding pool of nasty shit but you know what Naruto? I DON'T really give a fuck if I'm being a pain in the ass right now!"

Naruto scoffed quietly before getting up and fishing Sasuke's soaking wet clothes out of the shallow water of the river and laying them out on a nearby dry patch of grass to dry in the sun. Sasuke raised his head to look up at the man as he stopped in front of him and he couldn't really tell because the sun was in his eyes and directly behind Naruto's head because all he could see was shadow. But he was pretty sure there was some sort of angry glint directed at him.

"Fuck you," he said with as much malice in his voice he could muster, throwing his inhibitions to the wind. Naruto dropped to his knees in front of him with a stubborn thud of his knees, reaching up and tearing a piece off the shirt in Sasuke's lap. Sasuke shifted nervously, surprised at the sudden invasion of modesty he almost experienced. Naruto dipped the cloth in the now steaming water before moving to Sasuke's side.

"Uh...brace yourself." Before Sasuke could comprehend what exactly that meant, Naruto squeezed out the water in the cloth over his shoulder, clearing out the dried blood and dirt that had gotten into the wound.

To Sasuke, it felt like being stabbed all over again. A slew of curses rasped out his throat at record speed, and he instinctively dug his fingers into Naruto's thigh. "How the hell do you know that would work and not just make it worse?!"

"I don't. I'm just hoping it will," Naruto murmured, now carefully dabbing at the edges of the wound to get some of the more stubborn blood off.

Sasuke locked eyes with the other, breathing out heavily between his teeth. "What?" he questioned quietly. "Are you hurting me on purpose because you're mad at me?"

Naruto looked offended. "No, of course not! Why would I do that? Fuck Sasuke, I'm not like that. I'm trying to help you here."

Sasuke closed his eyes, bringing his head down to his chest. A fresh blossom of pain shot through his body from his shoulder and he could feel himself starting to shake and experience the out-of-body experience one got right before they blacked out.

"Hey, hey, don't leave me now," Naruto's cool hands were there instantly, cradling his face upwards to where Sasuke was forced to open his eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you on purpose, Sasuke. I promise."

Sasuke breathed out slowly, peering up from under his eyelashes, where he could now feel a brim of moisture welling up. Naruto was so close. He had known all along he hadn't meant to hurt him; he was so tired of being a jackass.

"It hurts," he whispered.

Sasuke was able to take one deep gulping breath before Naruto leaned forward and pressed his lips to his. The soft pressure on his mouth finally distracted him enough to where the tears that had been building up began to fall softly, gently onto Naruto's sparsely-freckled cheeks. He felt hands run up his arms in a soothing manner as Naruto shifted even closer, laying chaste, sweet kisses all over his mouth.

All in all, it was nothing he was used to. He wasn't used to Naruto being this calm and quiet; nor was he used to be able to let his guard down so fully that he was able to sit so still without taking back control over the situation. But most of all, he couldn't get used to how right it all felt and how exceptionally feminine that made him sound.

Naruto pulled back after a long moment, running the pad of his thumb over the soft blush of Sasuke's cheekbone. "Come on, we need to get out of here, okay? I want you sleeping in a hotel bed tonight." Sasuke nodded, feeling a wave of embarrassment now wash over him now that contact was lost.

Standing awkwardly to his feet, he inched his way over to his drying clothes and yanked them on, not caring the least little bit that they were more than just damp. Then they began walking.

* * *

Sasuke must have guessed it was a little after three in the afternoon is when he started to really feel the pressure in his stomach that was telling him that he hadn't eaten or drank anything in a long while. And he quit sweating; that was probably a very bad sign. For the past half hour, nothing but right foot, left foot had been going through his head; some blind parade, only focusing on the heels of Naruto's feet in front of him.

His shoulder burned at sporadic moments and it hurt worse when the sun beat down directly on it to the point where he actually felt like there was a fire licking at his skin. Walking, walking, walking.

A mantra that repeated in his head, along with right foot, left foot. _Walk, left, right, right, walk, left, right, walk, walk._

He didn't hear Naruto's whoop of relief as they stumbled out onto packed dirt. He couldn't heart anything at all, actually. All he remembered was that he was staring out over the sun-drenched sight of a rice field and a sparse dotting of people working out in it and actually shocked that the wide brims of their sunhats reminded him of the pinwheels his father would bring home from work for him and Itachi when they were younger. It started at his ankles, when they gave out, and he tasted grit and dirt in his mouth before the rice field and the pinwheels and his father's smiling face were consumed in blackness.

* * *

At one point, Sasuke's eyes were wide open and seeing but he wasn't really sure how because it felt like he wasn't even in his body; that was he was actually somewhere below it, looking up and looking through to the huddle of strange, concerned faces.

"Here, pull down the tailgate so I can set him in." That was Naruto's voice and that must have been Naruto's arms he could feel himself in as his body lifted and was carried before settled back down on heated metal. Despite the heat and humidity, the hot bed of the truck was welcoming; a relief. Sasuke felt like curling into its warmth and closing his eyes against the high raise of voices. So he did.

* * *

A cooling wind woke him next and along with it, the spattering of raindrops. On his body's instinct, his tongue worked its way out of his mouth and tasted of the wind, relishing in the few drops that landed. The bed of the truck was growing cool beneath his body and he pulled the tan arm next to him closer. His eyes focused long enough to notice Naruto staring down into his face. "We're getting us home, buddy. Hang in there." Naruto's steel blue irises looked dead against the white of his eyes. He was awake long enough to find Naruto's fingertips and intertwine his own with them.

* * *

_...."We've just got in word about a devastating incident that happened just south of the Cayman Islands. Flight 187-A went down sometime a little after 11:43 this morning. Officials say it's highly unlikely that there are any survivors. Everyone join me now in a moment of silence, to honor the lives lost in this tragic accident that took place only a few moments ago."_

_"Itachi, Itachi, hurry come quick, take a look at the news! What plane did Okasan and Otosan say they were on? I hope their flight isn't canceled. Itachi...what's wrong? Why are you shaking? Itachi!, don't cry! What's wrong?_

_"...oh, Sasuke."_

* * *

_"The flowers are so beautiful, Sasuke. Aren't they pretty? Oh honey, it'll be okay. Don't cry; they're in a better place now. They wouldn't want you to be this sad."_

* * *

_"You're never home anymore! Who's supposed to take care of me when you're not around, Itachi?"_

_"You're old enough to fend for yourself."_

_"I'm 10 years old! I need someone to be here when I get home from school Itachi and you know that. I thought you said you were going to hire a nanny?"_

_"Grow up, Sasuke. If you don't learn to take care of yourself, no one will."_

* * *

_"Sasuke! Your father's home! He's brought you back something!"_

_"Oh! Cool Dad, where'd you get this?"_

_"Some nice man traded sold it to me for cheap, said it was one of the greatest toys even invented. Here...you blow on it like this."_

_"Haha, Daddy, you're just spitting everywhere!"_

* * *

Sasuke came to for the final time that day in a crowded busy street and the sudden onslaught of faces caused a simultaneous wave of euphoria and claustrophobia break over him.

"Gai, Gai, is he alright!?

"Jesus kid, come on, let's get you out of here. Someone calm Naruto down, and get him up to a room and water and food pronto!

"Gai!"

"He's going to be fine, Naruto! Kiba, help Naruto to his room."

A woman's voice screamed shrilly. "Shit, Naruto, are you okay, man?! Here someone help me grab his arm."

Gai's vest brushed against his face and he closed his eyes, letting the gentle lull of unconsciousness wash him out to sea once more.

* * *

_"Dadddd, I'm pretty sure you don't blow on them like that. You're just slobbering all over it!"_

_"Well okay, Mr. Smartypants, teach me."_

_"Gladly."_

* * *

Author's Note: So, I did something a bit different around the end of that chapter. The italics in between Sasuke's unconscious parts are obviously dreams, but separate ones rolled into like a reel. I hope that wasn't too confusing.

Dehydration. Not very fun. I'm not quite sure how other people experience severe cases of it but that's what I remember happening from mine. And not sweating when you're hot is trippy. Just sayin'. Questions or comments or insults go below in the little clicker box. :) Either way, they make a rather happy me. Hope you like this; even if it did take me forever and a day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: I think it's become a pattern. As soon as I'm about ready to post another chapter, something crashes. This time it was my internet, which has been out since last Wednesday. Last time, it was the site itself. It's official; I think someone, somewhere, hates this story. :X**

**Mood Song: Counting Bodies Like Sheep - A Perfect Circle**

**Disclaimer: I hold no rights to Naruto or AT&T, which I think I mention once in this chapter.**

* * *

_Day Eight_

_Phnum Penh, Cambodia - cross-country_

Sasuke awoke to the feeling of fingers ghosting over his shoulder and the smell of antiseptic filling his senses. He couldn't remember a time when he had felt so relaxed and lethargic. The soft haze he had built his mind around slowly began to vanish though, leaving him overly aware of the soreness radiating from his entire body.

"Are you awake?" Hinata's voice called to him gently. When he finally cracked his eyes open, her sweet face hovered over him, a strip of gauze held between her teeth.

"How are you feeling?" she questioned after a moment, tearing off the wrap around his shoulder and tucking the loose end underneath. Her fingers were deceivingly strong and steady against his flesh.

"Nothing really...starving mostly."

Hinata nodded, passing him a bowl of warm broth. The liquid made an uncomfortable splash deep within his empty stomach but he slurped it down without hesitation. Hinata sat quietly until he was done, running a stray piece of string from the blanket next to her through her fingers.

"I'm...relieved that you're going to recover, Sasuke. I'm hoping Naruto will do the same. He's refusing wate-"

"Take me to him," Sasuke cut in, throwing back the thin coverlet. Hinata nodded minutely and supported him under one arm as he slowly made his way to the door, his legs wobbling like a newborn foal.

Naruto's hotel room was just right down the hall. A quick check at the door revealed the blonde Texan propped up against the bed pillows but sound asleep. Sasuke silently made his way to the other's side; Hinata bowing politely out and saying she would bring something to eat and drink back in case Naruto woke up.

Sasuke eased himself into a sitting position on the bed, watching the breath filter quietly from between Naruto's lips. The skin under the man's eyes was a darker shade of purple from where he had been beat and even unopened, Sasuke could tell his eyes were sunken in; a common sign of dehydration.

Hinata returned moments later with a glass of cool water and more broth, which Sasuke had to force himself not to drink. It wasn't for him.

"If he wakes up, can you get him to eat?" Hinata paused in the doorway, a sad expression on her face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the sleeping man before him. "I'll get him to ask for seconds," he promised. Hinata smiled and disappeared once more.

Running his index finger from Naruto's temple to his chin, Sasuke traveled the path back up, continuing until Naruto finally began to stir, blinking open tired, abused eyes. He lay, disorientated for a moment, before he focused on Sasuke above him.

"Oh good, you're okay," he murmured before closing his eyes and drifting back off.

"Hey, hey, no you're staying awake," Sasuke intervened quickly, wrapping an arm around Naruto's shoulder and pulling him into a sitting position. "You're going to eat and drink something or I'm going to force-feed you," he demanded, bringing the glass of water to the other's lips.

Resolve broken down, Naruto grasped his hands around Sasuke's and gulped down the water, some of it dribbling down his chin and making dark spots on the comforter.

"Easy now, you're going to choke yourself. Why the hell were you refusing food and water, dumbass?"

"I was worried about you," Naruto muttered around the glass, avoiding Sasuke's eyes.

"So your solution is to nearly kill yourself? That's smart."

"Shut up, asshole," Naruto shot back, pushing Sasuke's arms away from him.

Sasuke opened his mouth to berate the other for being stupid and careless but was cut short as Gai appeared in the doorway, wringing his hands in front of him.

"Oh good, the both of you are awake! How are you feeling?"

Naruto and Sasuke were quiet for a moment before Naruto sat up a bit straighter and stared the older man down. "I can honestly say I've had better days, Gai."

Gai smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, that was a dumb question." He ran a large hand through his oil-slick black hair, sighing heavily and plopping down in the single chair opposite of the bed. "I can't begin to explain how sorry I am for what happened to the two of you. I should have been more honest about the dangers you guys might face while on this trip. Needless to say, being held hostage was not one of the ones that ran through my mind."

"You couldn't have known it was going to happen, Gai. Don't beat yourself up over it. We're here, a little worse for wear but we're alive and that's all that matters," Sasuke comforted the nerve-wracked man.

Gai smiled wryly. "The good thing is that after the police come and hear from you, we'll be leaving Cambodia shortly after nightfall and getting into Thailand. I wouldn't want to spend one more minute in this god-forsaken place. Ha! And to think I used to love visiting here."

"Gai-" Sasuke began warily, seeing it was no use trying to relieve the guilt that had settled over the man's shoulders.

Gai smiled half-heartedly. "Well, when either of you start to feeling up to talking, I'll call one of the units down here and yeah..." He stood awkwardly, inching towards the door like a man frightened of his own shadow.

Naruto frowned after the tall man as he shrank out of the room, throwing back the covers on his body and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Sasuke's hand shot out automatically to help the boy to unsteady feet. Naruto huffed and swatted him away, insisting underneath his breath that he could do it himself.

He limped around the room, pulling on a pair of clean jeans and t-shirt from his backpack near the wall. Shoving a toothbrush covered with blue toothpaste into this mouth, Naruto slipped on his shoes and waved for Sasuke to follow him out the door.

"But wait! Gai said he would call them down here. There's no need for you to get up and move," Sasuke jumped up, rushing to catch up with the Texan, who was surprisingly fast for his injuries.

Naruto glanced behind him once without stopping, casting Sasuke a dark glare. "You know they're not going to take this seriously if they see some little spoiled gaijin boy lying in bed, boo-hooing over the injuries he's claiming one of their fellow Cambodian citizens put on him. That's not how the world works and you know it."

Sasuke finally caught up with him, latching onto the other's arm and bringing him to a sudden jolting stop. The blonde man's nostrils flared in irritation.

"You saw how much stress this has put on Gai! He knows there won't be nothing done about what happened to us. Because of me, Sasuke!" Naruto spat, wiping foamy toothpaste from his lower lip.

"What is with all this racial tension coming from you? All you do is sit and bitch about how unfair everyone around you is treating you because you're American. News flash Naruto, you're Japanese! Yeah, you may not live in Japan but it's your Japanese heritage that runs in your blood; our blood!"

Naruto tore his arm free and turned away, his boots stomping loudly down the hotel stairs. "I have no ties with that damn country."

"Naruto!"

The man paused on the stairwell, knuckles turning white on the banister. "Just go back to your hotel room and pack your stuff, Sasuke. You heard Gai, we'll be out of here by nightfall. Leave talking to the cops to me."

* * *

With each packed suitcase Sasuke chunked towards the doorway, the more his aggravation rose. He felt emasculated; being ordered back to his hotel room like a disobedient child in time-out. And what if he had valuable information on their kidnappers that Naruto didn't?!

It wasn't like Naruto to shove him off like that. Wait, yes it was, Sasuke corrected himself with a frown. He angrily finished zipping up his last suitcase and chunked it towards the rest of the pile, narrowly missing Kiba's leg as he slipped into the room.

"Hey man, how ya feeling?"

"Just goddamn peachy, Kiba," Sasuke snarled back, packing up his laptop in its thick leather case. A bead of sweat rolled from his forehead and lingered on his nose and Sasuke found himself hating that little bead. Absolutely loathing.

"I came up here to check on ya 'cause you had my girlyfriend all worried about ya'll."

"Well, I'm fine. It's that fucktard Naruto you have to worry about."

"Jesus Sasuke, what's got you on edge? What'd Naruto do this time?"

Sasuke glared at the young man until he caught the hint and left, palms raised upwards and smiling cheekily.

Gai had come up to his room twenty minutes earlier and told them the van would be ready in 30, so that left him ten minutes to round up his retarded golden-haired friend and camp out a seat on the stupid bus. He wanted to hear everything Naruto had told the cops.

Fortunately, Naruto had been back to the hotel and had finished packing long before Sasuke because he was already seated on the long van, his booted feet resting comfortably on the back of seat in front of him. After securing his luggage in the back, Sasuke brushed past Ino, who quickly assaulted him with questions of how he was feeling and slipped into the seat next to Naruto.

"Spill."

The man's steel eyes blinked owlishly for a moment before he scoffed haughtily. "It's worked out, don't worry about it."

"Naruto, I have a right to know!" With each passing second, strangling the man seemed to be the most decisive option.

"The high-ups know who the men are, right down to their grandmother's social security number. They're local, lived here all their lives. They run drugs and people. Oh, and Sasuke, they're not going to do a damn thing. Just like I told you, right?"

Naruto rearranged his feet on the seat, crossing his ankles in a flippant manner. Sasuke gritted his teeth. If Naruto was telling the truth, then how could they do absolutely nothing to punish those men? Was kidnapping and assault not a serious offense in this country?

A myriad of thoughts plagued Sasuke as the rest of their group ambled onto the bus, all calling out to him and Naruto with their questions of concern and relief that they were safe and sound. Sasuke shot reassuring smiles as Naruto gloated next to him.

"They were worried about us. You don't have to be so ungrateful," Sasuke mumbled, elbowing the other man.

"I just want to make like Gai and get the hell out of this country," was the simple, clipped reply.

The van bounced along the jutted road that led out of the small town and they were soon on a scenic rural highway that would eventually take them straight into Thailand.

Naruto fell asleep an hour into the ride, to which Sasuke was not surprised. They were both emotionally and physically exhausted. The warmth of the man's cheek pressed against his shoulder soothed him in a way he wasn't ready to admit. He thought back on the kiss they had shared the afternoon before, knowing that that one small action set a thousand other things into motion.

A large part of him wanted to start a relationship with Naruto, but he wasn't really positive of what the other truly felt. So far, all affection had been shown on Naruto's part alone but that wasn't enough to assume that the man was actually interested and not acting under duress.

Sasuke didn't know if he could be in relationship with someone who was only acting out of instinct for human companionship during the hard times instead of one who was with him because they genuinely liked him.

Then again, there wasn't many people in the world who genuinely liked him; save for Suigetsu. The thought of his prematurely silver-haired best friend reminded him he didn't have his cell phone anymore and the poor man was probably worried sick that he hadn't gotten any notice from him.

Standing carefully, as to not upset the almost-cherubic face of a sleeping, albeit drooling, Naruto, Sasuke made his way to the front of the bus, sliding into the seat directly behind Gai.

The Vietnamese man quirked an eyebrow at him in the overheard mirror above. "Why hello, Sasuke."

"Gai, I was wondering if you'd do me a favor. The next town we stop in, if they have any stores where me and Naruto can perhaps purchase a cell phone, can we stop there for a few minutes?"

"Sure, I don't see how that would be a problem. It would give everyone else a chance to stretch their legs and take a restroom break." Gai's thick eyebrows drew together as he glanced up into the mirror once more, this time focused on the seats behind Sasuke.

"I think your friend's awake."

Sasuke looked in the mirror where the man's eyes were trained and saw Naruto sitting up straighter in the seat and staring out the window. Once, his eyes flickered to the front of the bus and then back. He almost looked like he was...uncomfortable to wake up to find himself alone.

"Thanks," Sasuke said quickly, placing a friendly hand on Gai's shoulder before tottering down the aisle back to his seat.

Naruto looked over at him as Sasuke slid in, heaving a contented sigh. "What'd you ask him?"

"I asked if we could stop in the next town and buy new phones to replace the ones we lost. I think my warranty is still good until the end of this year."

The man's eyes were puffy and red-rimmed from the broken capillaries surrounding them, courtesy of a man's fist, and lack of sleep. Cautiously, Sasuke glanced around and seeing that no one was looking their direction, he brought his hand up to Naruto's face, tracing the violet-like bruises around his eyes.

Naruto stared quietly back at him before allowing his eyelids to drift shut, brushing golden brown lashes over Sasuke's thumb.

"Did you have a good nap?" he questioned, suddenly awkward with himself for doing such a thing.

"No, not really," Naruto replied, moving his head away from Sasuke's hand. Sasuke dropped his arm obediently in his lap, watching as Naruto turned from him and pressed his forehead against the cool metal part of the van's window.

"We're going to have to talk about what happened between us by the river sometime; we can't avoid it forever," Sasuke mumbled too soft for anyone else but Naruto to hear.

"I'm not avoiding anything."

"So you're gonna pretend like it never happened; that you didn't kiss me at all?"

Sasuke's heart shuttered to a stop quietly but with the force of a freight train. Naruto's answer was a long time in coming.

"It's however you want to see it, Sasuke."

* * *

The town they stopped in barely interested Sasuke when they arrived; he was THAT ready to leave Cambodia. This was just a quick get in, purchase a new phone, get out sort of deal. He had no intention of mingling with the natives and bar-hopping again.

In fact, he doubted he would be anywhere near a club or bar for quite some time. Naruto had grown quiet since the incident earlier in the day and the tension between them increased as they were cramped in a narrow little AT&T store; Neji and Kankuro both accompanying them.

The associate was all-over too eager and Sasuke smirked as Naruto glowered behind a rack, fiddling with the display phones. Sasuke recited to Neji what he needed and the older man spoke to the associate in Cambodian.

They left the store less than twenty minutes afterward, Naruto and Sasuke both owning brand-new cells. Immediately, Sasuke dialed Suigetsu's number.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Suigetsu, it's me Sasuke. I'm sorry I'm just now calling you."

"Where have you been?" screeched from the other end of the line and Sasuke could nearly feel the man vibrate with anxiety and relief.

"Calm down. I'm fine. I just...lost my phone, but I've bought a new one."

"...if you say so. I know you're lying to me. Sasuke Uchiha doesn't lose a Prada cell. Nu uh, no way, no how. But whatever, that doesn't matter anymore, what matters is that you're okay and not dying of Spanish influenza."

"I'm not anywhere near Spain," Sasuke exasperated, rolling his eyes although the other man couldn't see it.

"Yeah...well, a man can hope, can't he?"

"Shut up, asshole. So listen, we're boarding back up and we should be in Thailand in just a day or two. I'll call you then, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine. Nice knowing you're alive, buddy. Bye."

Sasuke heard the dial tone before he could say goodbye back and knew that Suigetsu was peeved at him for not keeping contact. Oh well. He sensed Naruto behind him as they boarded back on the bus and Sasuke, on a quick whim, decided to steal the window seat so Naruto would either be forced to talk to him or someone else.

The blonde man continued to glower as they sat next to each other, obviously unhappy with the seating arrangements. Sasuke turned to him and smiled widely, showing his teeth.

Judging by the murderous glint in Naruto's eyes, it was going to be a long ride to Thailand.


	12. Chapter 12

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: This has been a long time in coming. I apologize.**

**Mood Song: You Won't Know by Brand New**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

* * *

_Day Ten_

_Bangkok, Thailand_

Thailand had a completely different smell to it altogether and Sasuke could see the change it had in Temari and Kankuro, and to some extent, Gaara. It was almost as if the regal grace they had been suppressing before was finally showing itself. Temari held herself taller and surveyed the commoners in the town they were passing through with a stark, yet gentle, indifference.

Gai, on the other hand, apparently wanted to make a Grade A fool of himself, because he was singing out at the top of his lungs some showboat tune dug up from the prehistoric ages.

Everyone started to laugh at his antics and join in, causing Naruto to jolt awake from his nap next to him. Disorientation quickly sped into annoyance as he detected the owner of the squawking cries.

"Am I seriously the only one he's getting on the nerves of?"

Ino leaned into their seat from in front of them, unknowingly displaying a full frontal shot of the tops of her breasts to Sasuke. "Actually, I'm starting to get a headache myself," she giggled.

Naruto must have caught the lecherous glint in Sasuke's eyes because a rough pinch was delivered to the soft flesh of his through his shirt.

"Ow!" Sasuke jumped, rubbing the stinging spot immediately. Ino looked confused and glanced between the two.

"Lover's spat?" she questioned, raising a delicately plucked eyebrow at them.

Naruto actually squeaked in denial, shaking his head with such force that Sasuke felt that any moment it was going to come rolling off his shoulders. Sasuke rolled his eyes and playfully put an arm around Naruto, pulling him closer.

"What do you mean "no", Naruto? Of course we're together, baby."

Naruto paled in comparison to his normally tan complexion and Ino laughed out loud at the stricken expression on his face. "Ah, I gotcha!" she whispered enthusiastically, getting up and moving to the front of the bus to talk to Hinata and Temari.

"It's not like that!" Naruto yelled desperately, reaching his arm out in an effort to bring her back. "Why did you do that?! Now she's going to believe you and tell everyone!"

The look on the blonde man's face was too much and Sasuke let go of him and started to laugh.

"It's not funny!" Naruto shot back, frogging him in the shoulder.

"It really is too funny and you'll laugh about it later."

Naruto glared back, huffing in exasperation. "Well if it's so funny and we're together and all, then I guess it's okay to do this." His tan hand came down lightly on Sasuke's leg, bunching up the khaki fabric of his shorts as the hand moved slowly upward.

"Doesn't bother me none," Sasuke smiled back. Two can play this game, after all. He knew Naruto didn't have the balls to make good on what he was doing and actually go so far as to make a move on him.

"How about now?" The hand on his thigh inched slightly inward, ever closer to the place he was teasing so much. Sasuke could feel himself begin to stir within the confines of his shorts and dropped his hand to cover Naruto's, lightly running the pads of his fingers over the other's knuckles.

"Don't start something you don't intend to finish," he murmured to the other, staring the other down without a hint of teasing in his eyes.

Naruto pulled his hand away, sighing heavily. "Pft, whatever."

Sasuke immediately missed the warmth and weight of the other's hand and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. A large part of him wished that Naruto hadn't pulled away and just _gone with it._ Things weren't that simple though. It seemed Sasuke would have to be on the brink of death to get an ounce of sensuality out of the man.

Thoughts of putting himself in harm's way flashed through his mind before he realized how utterly ridiculous he was making himself out to be and banished them away. If Naruto wasn't going to show the interest in him that he had two days before, that was his own problem.

Even so, Sasuke yearned for the closeness they shared while lost in the jungle. The mutual urge to survive brought them closer than anything else in the trip had and he would be lying if he said he didn't want that back for himself.

"Listen," Naruto began, speaking quietly so as not to clue in the others around them, "I know you're wanting a lot of answers to questions I don't even understand myself. There's _something_, okay Sasuke, but I don't know what that is yet. You're a man and I'm a man and those two variables don't exactly add up right in my head. I'm really confused right now, that's all."

Sasuke nodded. "I...think I understand."

Naruto went quiet, biting his lip in concentration and turning away from Sasuke to stare out the window. Nothing was said after that.

* * *

The siblings' house lived up exactly to how Sasuke pictured it. In Bangkok, there happened to be a beautiful white palace with gold roofing and trim.

Go figure.

"What I don't understand is if they're this freaking loaded, why would they agree to go on a sight-seeing trip and stay in run-down hotels when they could travel to all these places and live like kings? I mean, more kings than what they already are, 'course," Kiba questioned as they approached the wide entrance doors.

"Maybe they really, really like us," Naruto supplied, staring in awe at the intricate trim around the door, depicting dragons spitting golden flame.

Once inside, Temari went into princess-mode, and at once, nicely-dressed servants came and took their luggage, rolling them away into an adjoining hallway.

"Ah, big screen tv, I've missed you so!" Kankuro cried from a room near them. Temari rolled her eyes as she led the group into the room. It was fairly spacious with plush dark wine divans spread out in front of a giant plasma screen that Kankuro rubbed against good-naturedly.

"Don't make me find the water bottle," Temari threatened her younger brother.

"I'm not one of your cats either," Kankuro retorted, smiling wide.

"There's cats here?" Naruto broke in suddenly, scanning the room for the aforementioned felines.

"Yeah, I have two tortoiseshells. Are you allergic?"

Naruto frowned. "No, I just don't really care for them."

The man was quiet next to him as a middle-aged woman in a blue smock led them down a lengthy hallway, pulling open the wall-to-floor shutters that lined the whole right side. Sunlight streamed in and created a golden bask that illuminated the three of them and in this setting, Sasuke likened Naruto to a Greek god, bruises and all.

"Have you noticed we're always roomed together? Like, that's just how it's split up amongst everyone; Sasuke and Naruto get this room.." Naruto suddenly exclaimed. The maid in front of them cocked an eyebrow funny but Sasuke didn't think she could speak very much English.

"Yeah...does that bother you...that you're always stuck with me?" Sasuke ventured, wondering where Naruto was going with this. By this time, the maid had stopped in front of a heavy oaken door and pointed before turning on her heel and walking away. The blonde man faced the windows, staring off into the distant heat they could just feel penetrating the thick glass.

"Sometimes, and don't laugh at this, but I feel like it's how it's supposed to be. I don't know why, it just is. I don't remember why I singled you out from everyone that I met when we first started. Do you believe in destiny, Sasuke?"

Sasuke approached the glass and slid down it, resting his back against its warmth. "I don't know. I don't think I should believe in it. It hasn't been very kind to me over the past years."

Naruto looked down at him, expression blank. "What did it do to you?" Sasuke shrugged in response, not really wanting to open up that can of worms just yet. His parent's death wasn't something he could talk about easily; it never had been. Even Suigetsu didn't know the whole story, just chopped up pieces he heard from Sasuke and weaseled out of Itachi.

A deep sigh sounded in the hallway and Sasuke couldn't tell if either he or Naruto expelled it.

"Are we friends?" It was tentative and questioning and all of a sudden Naruto seemed a thousand years older, an old man trapped in a young man's body.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, dropping it after a few seconds with a loud sound into his lap. "We're something; friends sounds familiar but I don't think we're exactly that." It was the best answer he could come up with. Although he related to Naruto and felt they were bonded together in more ways than a person could; friends seemed so juvenile and...hopeless.

Naruto pushed off the glass and Sasuke recognized the look of irritation that crossed his features so many times in the past couple of days.

"What do you want me to say, Naruto?" He hadn't meant his voice to rise that much but then again, maybe he had. Naruto was stalking off towards their room now, his boots making hard, angry sounds against the wooden floorboards.

"Go ahead, say it, you're leaving!" Sasuke yelled, thankful that the house was large enough that their voices were lost amongst the way. "You've done nothing but run away your whole life. From Japan, from your hardships, from me! Well, you're not leaving now; you're not going to be a coward anymore

"Who are you? Thinking you know me and the things I've been through!" There was a flash of defiance behind his steel eyes and Sasuke briefly saw the anger that coursed through his body. Quick strides brought his boots to his side and Sasuke contemplated the excuses he could use to make Naruto kicking his ass look like an accident. '_Oh funny story, I got this by running into the doorframe in my room.'_

"You were the one talking about destiny, Naruto. Isn't yours the one where you always leave; escape the things you can't control? You knew those men in Cambodia, didn't you? You knew them from before, when you lived in Japan, and you pissed them off. So they came looking for you and you dragged me into all the mess!"

Sasuke was on his feet now, the anger and frustration bubbling up in his stomach. Naruto's eyes had widened with that last comment; a look of intense regret settled over his expression.

"I'm so sorry; I hadn't meant for any of that to happen. I didn't know they would be looking for me..."

In a swift move, Sasuke had spun Naruto up against the glass, trapping him there like you would a moth against a wall. He held one of his wrists near his head to prevent him from running away.

"I've killed for you, Naruto! Tell me how I'm supposed to live with that kind of guilt!"

Naruto sighed heavily, turning his head so he wouldn't have to face looking at him in the eyes. Sasuke wasn't having any of this and caught a hold of the man's chin, turning it so he was forced to look at him.

"Anytime now."

Naruto's nostrils flared and in a blink of an eye, Naruto leaned forward and kissed him. Any other time, Sasuke would have ducked away and thought, oh no, not doing this again when you're in a tight spot. But he was frustrated at everything in the world and the only way he figured he could fight back against their "destiny" was to shut his eyes and press back just as hard.

It was rough; nothing like before and Sasuke reveled in the power he was getting from being able to gain dominance so fast through his anger. Just like fighting but without fists. Naruto made a sound against his mouth that sounded like something in between a sigh and growl and he pushed his body forwards.

Sasuke felt his mind blow at the barely-there contact and wrapped his arm around Naruto's waist, fingertips grazing along his lower back. Opening his eyes, he began slowing the rushed kisses, barely connecting their lips so that when he pulled away, he smiled at the sight of how Naruto kept leaning slightly forward to have him back again. The heat that radiated off the window soaked through the both of them, leaving them dazed and drowsy as Sasuke pulled back.

Naruto's breathing was surprisingly quiet. "I said there was _something._ We can't fight and make up like that. It's not fair. You've got to listen to me and understand and I'll do the same for you. Kisses and sweet nothings don't fix anything and I won't settle for that."

"I'm not going to sob out my life on your shoulder and I'm not going to forgive you for getting me kidnapped and almost killed," Sasuke replied, pressing his nose into the other's forehead.

"I'm not something you can fuck and forget."

Sasuke leaned backwards, a mask of horror on his face. "I would never...I promise, Naruto...I'm not going to fuck you." I only do that to someone I want to be done with. And I don't ever want to forget you," he cleared up, wrapping his arms around the other male and bringing him closer to him. "We need to get out of this hall, before the maid comes back and sees us."

Naruto's bubbling laugh against his throat made him feel a million tons lighter; like he was back in college and experiencing his first love. Naruto gently pushed him off and away just in the nick of time, because Ino suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"There you two are! Come on, come on, we've all decided we're going to camp out in the living room tonight and watch scary movies and get fat eating popcorn and chips."

Her eyes briefly locked onto Naruto's and Sasuke felt something pass between them, something small and barely recognizable, but in that moment it was obviously clear. She knew. A slow smile crawled across the lower portion of her face and she cut her eyes at Sasuke knowingly. For some reason, he didn't think this secret was going to be kept between the three of them only before the night was over.

* * *

"So, what movie is first?" Naruto exclaimed as he flopped down on a cushion of pillows at the foot of a long divan at the back of the room and Sasuke followed, much more gracefully than his blonde counterpart. The smell of sandalwood and lavender permeated the air around them and at once, Sasuke felt a sort of drowsiness weigh him down. He was much more tired than he first realized.

"Kankuro, we are NOT watching _Feed._ I'm sorry, I love you, but I can only stomach that movie every once in a blue moon and especially not in front of guests," Temari berated her brother as he held up a DVD.

Naruto curled up into the pillows around them, snuggling closer to Sasuke than he figured he would in front of the others. Warm air curled around his ear-lobe as Naruto began to quiet down.

"Hey, you going to sleep already?" Sasuke nudged the other gently, running his hand over the curve of the man's bicep.

"Just resting my eyes."

"You better not, because I'm not carrying your ass back to the room." Naruto grinned, eyes closed. "I'm serious Naruto, don't fall asleep."

"I'm not, I'm not, hush you." The reply wasn't very convincing and Naruto's eyes didn't open after a few moments. Sasuke watched as his eyelids fluttered in sleep and his lips parted slightly with his breath.

He honestly didn't mind; he'd carry him all the same. It was weird, come to think of it, that he wouldn't think twice about doing that for someone else. Maybe a girl, but even then, just maybe. The movie the others were watching was only ten minutes in and yet, Sasuke felt like if he stayed just a few seconds later, he'd be in the same position Naruto was in.

"Hey guys, I think I'm going to call it a night. Naruto's already wiped out."

Ino glanced back, smiling softly in the blue glow of the television screen. "Okay, see ya in the morning, Sasuke."

Using his knees to prop himself up, Sasuke carefully slid an arm behind Naruto's neck and back, pulling the man to sitting position. From there, he carefully helped the other to his feet, wrapping one of the arms around his own shoulders. Rousing the man enough to get him to walk with him, Sasuke helped Naruto out of the living room until the reached the long windowed hallway they were in earlier that day. By now, the sun had disappeared completely and a sharp contrast of moonlight was filtering in through the glass. Bending sharply, he swung a hand underneath Naruto's knees and lifted him, cradling the man to his chest.

Naruto let out a soft mumble in his sleep, eyelids flicking open a few times, before he succumbed back to unconsciousness. He was a lot heavier than he looked but Sasuke made it to their room without much trouble. There was only one giant bed in the room and Sasuke softly set Naruto down on one side of it. He knew that he would have to undress him so he wouldn't be so uncomfortable once he woke up and despite his experiences and matured state, he found himself growing warm with the thought.

Quietly, he slid the man's shoes and socks off, dropping them on the floor behind him. Next he pushed up the other's t-shirt, slipping each arm through the hole and finally lifting Naruto's head to remove it fully. Sasuke fidgeted above the other, staring unabashedly at the tan smooth skin before him. A light trickle of blonde hair ran from the man's navel and spread at the hem of his jeans and likewise on his chest.

His dark-wash jeans were lying loosely on his hips and Sasuke deftly unbuttoned and brought the zipper down, quickly pulling them down Naruto's legs and throwing them also onto the floor. His boxers were a simple plaid, yet Sasuke left those, fearing that unveiling too much of the man was taking a large part of his dignity and privacy away, even though he had seen Naruto nude more than once before.

Quelling the rising desire inside him, Sasuke quickly made back the bed and brought the sheet over the other, resting it loosely on the other in case he got hot during the night. Switching on the overhead fan, Sasuke quickly undressed himself and slid into the sheets on the opposite side. The faint chirp of crickets made themselves known outside the window behind their heads.

The sheets crinkled too unfamiliarly above him and Sasuke finally resolved that the only way he was going to get to sleep is if he was near something that wasn't foreign. Turning his head, he caught sight of Naruto rolling over in his sleep, drooling a bit onto the pillow under him. Would he mind?

Carefully, Sasuke slid closer, first intertwining their legs to test the waters to see if Naruto would wake. Upon realizing the man was completely dead to the world, Sasuke took a deep breath and snuggled as close as he possibly could, curling into Naruto's side until and pulling the man's arm over his head until they almost became one being. Sasuke hadn't dared to get this close to someone else in so long; it was only something he did with Suigetsu _maybe_, when he had one of his long nights of missing his mother.

Naruto smelled distinctly of male: sweat, cologne and earth and Sasuke found comfort in it. Before long, another deep state of exhaustion washed over him and this time he did not wake.


	13. Chapter 13

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Mood Song: Run - Snow Patrol**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

* * *

_Day Eleven_

_Bangkok, Thailand_

Sasuke lay very still, waiting for the accusation that didn't seem to be coming. Waiting for the harsh shove that would shatter the thin link between them. He had been awake for a little while; the cold early morning air from the windows behind him tickling his bare shoulders.

He was still wrapped around Naruto; they obviously were so exhausted from traveling that neither of them moved much the night before. He had felt Naruto wake a few moments before and he was waiting for the man to realize the intimate position Sasuke had put them in.

A sharp breeze punctuated the silence and Naruto folded around him, further proof that he was awake and coherent.

"I couldn't find a blanket last night and there wasn't one on the bed," Sasuke ventured, shifting his head so that he was staring up at Naruto. In the bright, unforgiving light of the morning his position was unfamiliarly effeminate.

"I'm okay like this," Naruto murmured back, voice hoarse and thick with sleep. A loud yawn suddenly broke from the blonde man and Sasuke jumped a little, not expecting the noise. "I thought you said you weren't going to carry me to the room," Naruto mused, rolling onto his back and interlocking his hands behind his head.

Sasuke frowned at the warmth of Naruto's body removing itself and the smirk that was currently plastered on aforementioned man's face.

"And you said you weren't going to fall asleep, so I guess we both went back on our word."

"Well," Naruto scratched the bridge of his nose with his middle finger, "I'm glad you decided to get me to the room but I'm concerned about how I got undressed."

Sasuke fumed quietly, realizing the tell-tale knowing glint in Naruto's eyes that only meant he was fucking with him and that was something that Uchiha Sasuke did not tolerate in the early morning hours.

Before he could offer up a particularly witty retort, a knock sounded on the door and Naruto started, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Ino's head poked through the doorway, carrying a tray of fresh, sliced cantaloupe and toast.

"Up and at 'em, boys! It's a beautiful day," she exclaimed cheerfully, bouncing into the room dressed in a light yellow sundress.

"Ino, you know better than to just barge into a grown man's room," Naruto reprimanded her, grabbing a piece of toast and spearing a cantaloupe slice with a fork laid on the tray.

"What do you mean "barge". I knocked, didn't I? Besides, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Remember you, me and Sakura all lived together at one point."

She turned to Sasuke now, who was trying not to laugh at the bewildered look on Naruto's face and spray the bed with bread crumbs. "Naruto's basically impossible to live with. Always left the toilet seat up, never shut the door when he was going, left nudie magazines everywhere-"

"Ino," Naruto warned quickly, becoming red around the ears.

"Of course, this was all in our freshmen year of college," Ino went on, "I'm sure he's grown out of most of that."

"Okay, time to go. We have to shower and pack and can't do that if you're here," Naruto ushered, propelling her out of the room by a hand on the small of her back.

Sasuke heard her whisper "what happened last night?" to Naruto and then he promising that he'd tell her later. The door shut behind her with an audible click, a noise that seems to startle the both of them back into reality.

"I'm so sorry for putting you in the position-"

"I didn't mean for her to come in here-"

They paused, quietly looking at one another for a few moments before Naruto cleared his throat. "Well, this is awkward."

"Very," Sasuke agreed, grabbing the nearest t-shirt that was his and pulling it over his head. "Shower?"

"You go first," came the muffled reply as Naruto busied himself with digging into the only closet in the room, looking for his backpack.

The adjoining bathroom was a Jack-n-Jill and Sasuke made certain that he locked the opposite door before stripping down. He hurried in the shower, for some reason believing that if he overstayed, Naruto would question why he was avoiding him.

Coming out of the steamy room, Naruto brushed past him without a word, dry toothbrush held between his teeth. Sasuke spun him before he could get very far and placed a brushing kiss against the man's jaw.

Naruto backed up a bit, looking at him warily. "We're cool, ok? Don't worry about it, I'm not upset about anything."

Sasuke nodded his head, feeling a bit silly that he was too busy making his own assumptions that he didn't bother asking Naruto upfront if things were okay between them. He was feeling out of his element; dating had never been his strong point to begin with.

The relationships he formed usually ended up with him calling it quits and leaving the other person in tears or anger. It wasn't like he didn't honestly want to try, he just had this knack of running people off with his moods or his temper. But maybe with Naruto, things could work. Maybe everything would be okay this time around and Naruto could handle his mood swings.

Sasuke sighed heavily out loud; life sure sucked when you were constantly acting like a chick. He found Gai creeping out in the hallway and the older man smiled sheepishly when Sasuke cleared his throat, announcing there was another body present.

"Oh, I'm glad you're awake! We've got an eventful day ahead of us. Is Naruto up? Oh never mind, I'll just tell you and tell the rest of them later. Our hosts have run into a bit of a diplomatic...grievance and will have to stay here to work out some things. That means all of us are stuck here in Bangkok."

"Is that a problem?"

Gai smiled warmly. "No, of course not. This city is full of interesting things to see and take part in. The only situation I've run up on is the lack of guides to show all of you around if everyone wants to see different things. I understand you're grown and fully capable of reading a map, but you must understand I do worry."

"We'll do the buddy system, Gai. Don't worry about it. And stop thinking about what happened in Cambodia; that wasn't your fault."

Gai nodded guiltily, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching forward. "I do hope you're right."

* * *

Naruto was impossible.

That's all there was to it. Sasuke had spent the past half hour milling around a small convenience store, waiting on the blonde man to purchase snacks and a map. Of course, Naruto couldn't decide between frosted chocolate fudge cakes and whatever else he had loaded in his hands.

"I don't want to get anything that's gonna melt. And everything's gonna melt!" he cried, shoving his horde onto a section of empty shelf.

"You're gonna have to make your choice sometime in the next century because the owner is beginning to grow suspicious," Sasuke exasperated, shoving a couple packages of junk food into Naruto's arms and propelling him to the check-out.

"Do you want anything, because I'll get it for you if you do?" He tried again, spinning around in Sasuke's grip.

"No, no, no and no. You're paying now." Naruto dropped his goodies on the check-out, looking forlornly at the back of the store, where the drinks were.

"You act like you haven't eaten in days."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the pink tongue that darted out of Naruto's mouth mockingly. Finally, Naruto paid and zipped his loot up into his backpack, munching hungrily on a zebra-striped chocolate cake.

"Did you know that it's about the end of the rainy season here?" he stated once they were outside on the sidewalk.

Sasuke shrugged and bumped into Naruto's shoulder purposely, catching the other's eyes. "If it starts to flood, I'll just use you as floating device."

"What are you trying to say Uchiha!?" he scoffed back.

"Hey look, it's the building that's shaped like a robot," Sasuke pointed in front of him, switching subjects.

Naruto wasn't buying it though and harrumphed under his breath. "I'm not fat."

"I didn't say you were. Naruto, you jump to conclusions too quickly. Someday, that's going to be the bane of your existence."

Naruto smiled cheekily then. "Until then, you just fill that spot."

Sasuke found himself smiling, feeling light and weightless in Naruto's company. Gai had given them the whole day to explore Thailand on their own, with the only exception of being back by nightfall if they wanted to go clubbing then.

If Gai thought for a second he could have commissioned the Thai royals' bodyguards to watch over them, he wouldn't have wasted any time in doing so.

"Wat Pho," Naruto read from the tourist guide they had picked up at the gas station, "is one of the oldest temples this side of Bangkok dating back to yadda yadda yadda. Oh! It's also the Institute of Massage. Now this sounds like the place to be; I would love to be laid down and oiled up by some hot chick."

Naruto suddenly paused, throwing a cautious glance towards Sasuke. "I mean, a massage sounds relaxing doesn't it? I hope I get a really manly lady, I hear they have the best hands in working out knots."

"It's alright, get oiled by a pretty native. If she does her job right, it'll save time for us later tonight in the bedroom."

The look on the Texan's face was everything Sasuke hoped it would be; absolutely priceless and beyond a doubt, worth it. He started sputtering like a lunatic, waving the guide around in his hands like he was flagging down an airplane.

"I'm kidding, Naruto!" Sasuke reassured the man, amidst chuckles. "So stop making a scene."

"Don't tease me like that bastard! You know, that's not something we need to be discussing right now, especially in the middle of this crowded city." He looked a little green around the gills.

It only took them a few minutes from their destination, having not been far away from it to begin with. Wat Pho was an assortment of large buildings whose roofs narrowed into sharp points facing skyward, like an acupressure bed for the gods.

The buildings were white with rich hues of golds and browns; a perfect backdrop for a massage school. Upon entering the cool building, they were quickly accosted by a stout woman who instructed them to take off their sandals and leave them in cubbies by the door.

She next led them to a low-ceilinged room, one they both had to stoop slightly to enter. A large marble pool flowed through the entirety of the room, and their attendant ordered them to wash their feet.

"You know by following these rituals, we're probably catching some sort of fungal disease. No telling how many people have bathed their grimy feet in this," Naruto stage-whispered conspiratorially, flashing sharp canine teeth.

"I'm sure they clean it out, stupid. Now stop whispering, you're horrible at it," Sasuke chided, thumping the other on the head.

Naruto frowned childishly, following their lady out of the room once more. "You sure are a mean lover."

Sasuke crept up close behind Naruto, allowing his fingertips to graze the other's hips. "We're not lovers yet, Naruto." A twitch was felt underneath his hands and Naruto pulled his shoulder to his ear, rubbing the whispering sensation away.

"Stop that," he warned, earning a curious glance from the lady in front of them. She ushered them into a room, a bit larger than the one they had just left. Inside were grass-woven mats and Naruto flopped down on one happily, apparently ready to get his massage started.

The room smelled of sandalwood and jasmine incense, a scent that tickled Sasuke's nose. The room had five others spread around on similar mats, chatting away until their own masseuses arrived. Finally, a group of men and women entered; all dressed in light, cotton robes.

"Hello, my name is Sunee. I'm going to be attending to you today," an attractive woman said, kneeling down gracefully next to Sasuke's mat.

A rather large, intimidating man stooped down next to Naruto and immediately eased him onto his stomach without saying a word. Naruto's face took on a frightened look, one that Sasuke had to force himself not to snicker at.

"The trick to these positions is to try to relax all the muscles in your body one at a time, rather than all at the same time," Sunee explained, pushing Sasuke slowly into a contortion where his held knelt between his knees. For such a petite woman, her strong hands immediately located the stiff muscles in his back and went to work in kneading them out.

"Sasuke," a muffled voice called from his left. Glancing over, he witnessed Naruto in very much the same position as he, except his head was so far tucked in that he resembled a roly-poly. "What happens if I pass out and this guy doesn't notice?"

Sasuke stifled a laugh as Naruto rolled out of his contortion and flopped onto his back, exaggerating his breathing so that his masseur leant back and rolled his eyes.

"Jadeeeeebud, I want my pretty native now. Share yours?"

Sunee gasped, shocked, before saying something in Thai to Naruto's masseur. She winked down at Sasuke who had raised his head up from between his knees to see. "Your American friend may need a lesson in manners," she smiled warmly, before instructing something else in Thai.

Naruto was suddenly pulled up to a sitting position, arms held straight back, while his masseur kneaded his back with one large hand. Naruto squawked at the uncomfortable position, wiggling his body to try and free his arms from the vice grip.

Sasuke buried his head down, trying not to laugh at Naruto's predicament.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, DO something! Don't just sit there, get up, help me!"

Drowning out the cries of Naruto, Sasuke focused on relaxing his body while Sunee went to work with her magic hands. Thailand was proving itself to be very relaxing.

* * *

"He mauled me!" Naruto exclaimed, once they were out of the temple. "You should have seen him grab at me with his giant meaty hands! And what do you do? You're too lost in lala land to even notice that I'm getting molested right next to you!"

"He did not molest you," Sasuke exasperated, pulling Naruto into a clump of trees along the outside fence of the shrine. Just as the other was about to open his mouth once more to protest the indecency of it all, Sasuke covered it with his own.

Naruto broke off a few moments later for air, glaring daggers at Sasuke. "I thought we agreed you weren't going to do that if I was upset about something."

"I know, I know. But you're just too damn cute when you're mad."

Naruto glanced away, trying to hide the fact he was embarrassed and altogether failing. "Well, in that case..." he murmured, toeing a pebble around absentmindedly.

"What?" Sasuke was only able to get that one word out before Naruto was yanking him closer and kissing him again. Correction: Thailand was _definitely_ interesting.


	14. Chapter 14

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: Why hello? Am I late? I think I might be. :) Anywho, this chapter is probably the reason the rating is the way it is. You guys thought I'd never get to it, huh? That being said, it's probably pretty short as well. Oh well, win some, lose some. Read and review!**

**Mood Song: Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

* * *

_Day 15_

_Bangkok, Thailand_

Sasuke felt like praying. After four days of non-stop, pouring rain, the sky had finally let up and gave them relief. Those four days were spent in the royals' house; holed away in their own little sanctuaries to wait out the weather.

Four days with Naruto alone. If they weren't chewing each other out about something, they were pushed against the nearest stable object and kissing each other's brains out. Not that they didn't enjoy that part. Oh no.

Yet Sasuke was always left with a distinctive empty feeling as he forced his body to stop every time he felt he was taking it too far. Naruto wasn't ready for that certain physical boundary to be crossed, Sasuke knew this. So when Naruto's cute little noises started to become full-out moans of pleasure, Sasuke drew back and kissed him chastely.

It was driving him crazy. What he wouldn't do for Naruto to be ready so he could jump the poor blonde man. He knew it was only a matter of time before Naruto gave the go-ahead.

The whole household was agitated from their extensive stay inside and at the first chance, they all scattered out the door.

"What should we do? It's too wet out to do a lot of sight-seeing," Naruto informed as Sasuke was slipping on his shoes. It was ridiculously humid once they got down to the center part of town and sloshing through dirty rainwater that was at least calf-high wasn't doing much to relieve the discomfort.

"It's almost as if it'd be better if we stayed inside," Sasuke grumbled, weaving through the standstill of cars that were backed up at the light three blocks away. On a higher ledge next to them, three scantily-dressed women perched, cooing to them like pigeons.

"Hey, the traffic take up long time. Come inside and rest while you wait," the shorter, plumper one offered in broken English.

The other two smiled dizzily at Sasuke and Naruto, reaching out their hands in an invitation to pull them onto the small porch. Sasuke took a few steps forward before he felt a tugging on the back of his shirt.

"Sasuke! They're whores," Naruto whispered in a hiss, pulling backwards on his shirt.

"If the traffic is going to be this congested, we're never going to get to our destination, now are we? Besides, us two guys can't handle three skin-&-bones girls?"

Naruto glanced warily at the three women, grimacing as one scratched a scaly patch on her stomach, her lime green sarong slung dangerously low on her thin hips. Sighing, he allowed himself to be pulled up as well. At once, the three women crowded around them and navigated them into the darkened building.

It smelt like alcohol and the musty scent of sweat and perfume, but the two men were led forward towards a battered tan couch and told to sit.

"Are you thirsty?" one of them asked, stooping low to face them. Her smile contained a mangle of yellowed teeth; a perk of a lifetime of smoking. After the three dispersed around them, going about their normal routine, Naruto shuddered audibly next to him.

"That's it. If there was ever a reason to quit nicotine before, I just saw a better one."

"Be nice," Sasuke had to reprimand him as the woman came back with two Colas.

The room they were in was dingy and dark and they soon realized they weren't the only hapless men in there. Quite a few lingered around the nearby bar and some were shadowed in corners, sitting alone on plastic chairs.

Sasuke had to bite back a gasp as one woman drifted to one of the corners and effortlessly straddled one of the men. Her long skirt covered their bodies but it was becoming painfully obvious what they were doing. He blushed quietly to himself, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Naruto.

"Uh, so how long are we going to stay here?" he bit out finally, admitting defeat.

Naruto's low chuckle was cut off abruptly as one of the skinnier women before suddenly approached them, climbing onto Naruto's lap.

"Hey baby, wanna have some fun?" she purred languidly into his ear, rolling her hips forward in one swift move. Naruto made an intelligible noise before scooting towards Sasuke, trying to remove the wayward woman.

"No, no, that's alright. I'm fine. Been walking all day, y'know and just don't have any fun left in me. I'll be sure to come back some other time to see you though."

"Lies." She pouted childishly, still straddling his legs. "You're not from around here, I know that. But fine, if you don't want it, you won't get it." With that, she haughtily removed herself and stalked across the room, moments before performing the same routine on another man.

"Can we leave this brothel...now?" Sasuke asked impatiently, already halfway to the door. "I apologize for making us having to wait here for the shortest amount of time."

It was only till they were out in the bright light of day that Sasuke noticed that Naruto was acting a bit funny and walking weird. The man's hand never strayed very far from his front.

"Oh my god, you're hard." Sasuke whispered furiously, pointing a finger down at Naruto's predicament.

"Thank you Captain Obvious, and for your information, I'm doing everything in my willpower to not be. Thinking about Barbara Streisand doesn't seem to be working very well at the moment."

"You found that tramp attractive?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes dangerously. "No, but my dick did. Now shut up, unless you're going to help me out with this problem."

Once the words were said, it was clear there was going to be no taking them back. They walked quietly for another block before Sasuke cleared his throat.

"Are you wanting me to help you?"

"Uh...well, not unless you're comfortable with that. I was just blowing steam. Y'know, not enough blood and oxygen getting to my brain just at this moment." Naruto had the most delightful cherry red complexion, one that Sasuke couldn't pass up.

"Come on," he muttered gruffly, taking the nearest side street and leading them into the back alleys and away from the tall commercial establishments. Glancing around to make sure there wasn't anyone in sight, Sasuke guided Naruto backwards into an empty hollow doorway.

He then immediately attached his mouth to the smooth tan collarbone before him, trailing a steady hand down the front of Naruto's shirt.

"Sasuke, I didn't mean here out in public!" Naruto hissed, catching Sasuke by the wrist before he could undo the button on his pants.

"Look around Naruto, this isn't public. There isn't anyone out here. Now do you want me to help you or not? It's my job as your boyfriend." Sasuke's tone softened as he saw the apprehensive look in Naruto's eyes. "Let me help you."

Before the blonde man could think up another excuse, Sasuke deftly unbuttoned the other's pants and pulled down the fly, coaxing Naruto's half-hard penis out of his boxers. He spit into his palm before running it down over Naruto's length, relishing in the slight way that the man swayed on his feet at Sasuke's touch.

"See, isn't so bad, is it? Our bodies work the same. Never trust a woman to know what a man really likes right off the bat."

"Your talking is really ruining it for me though."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, applying pressure at the base. "Dickhead."

"Says the guy with his hand on mine," Naruto shuddered out, slamming a hand onto the wall next to him. Sasuke grinned cattily, stroking the other man till he was pulsating in his grasp.

"Are we feeling better then?"

"Sasuke.." Naruto warned dangerously, glaring up at the other.

"Alright, alright. I'll finish this up I suppose." He steadily kept at it, alternating light and hard pressure till finally Naruto's mouth opened in a loud pant and he came into Sasuke's hand.

"I'm better than Barbara Streisand, babe." Naruto glared menacingly, but the effect was lost with his pants around his thighs and his flaccid penis in the breeze. Sasuke just smiled cheekily in return.

* * *

The congestion around the city was slowly thinning out, allowing the two to make their way to their original destination. Naruto was quiet the whole journey, pensively gazing at anything but Sasuke. It was unnerving. Maybe he had taken it too far too quick; forced Naruto into a situation he wasn't quite ready for.

Cautiously, he placed a hand on the small of the other's back as they approached their next tourist site. Jim Thompson's house loomed above them like the massive relic it was. At the sight of the pair of tall wooden bungalows, Naruto seemed to perk up a bit much to Sasuke's relief.

A tall man rushed forward, shaking their hands in a hurried manner. "Come, come, explore the wonderful house of the famous Jimmy Thompson! Man bring much wealth to Bangkok through his silk-weaving. Very fine, very fine. Come! Come!"

Naruto suppressed a laugh at the strange man and motioned for Sasuke to go first. The inside of the house was unsurprisingly cool; that seemed to be the norm in Thailand. Humid outside, refreshing inside. It made Sasuke wonder why no one chose to stay indoors for their whole life.

The inside was typical of a museum. Old stuff surrounded by more old stuff, free of dust and you couldn't touch it without getting your palms smacked. Sasuke felt like one of the characters in an old cartoon he watched. His hands flat at his sides and waddling in between the rooms, doing his part and cooing at the artifacts of yet another dead man.

Naruto lagged behind, seemingly deep in thought about something. Sasuke wouldn't have known this if he hasn't observed the man's eyebrows furrow in consternation every five seconds by thoughts that were apparently plaguing him. He wanted to ask what was wrong but their eccentric guide was far too busy trying _his_ damndest to capture Sasuke's undying attention.

He suddenly felt Naruto move up behind him, breathing softly into his ear. "Let's lose the sideshow here. What do you say?"

While said sideshow had his back turned, blabbering on to some other tourists, Sasuke snuck away, following Naruto in the direction of Jimmy Thompson's bedroom. The entrance was roped off but Naruto cunningly stepped over, smiling devilishly at Sasuke while he pulled him in and shut the door.

"I don't know about you, but that guy was really getting on my nerves."

"Was that why you were so far off in la-la land back there?" Sasuke asked, taking in his surroundings, the deep mahogany four-poster bed not escaping his attention.

"Actually no. I was thinking about what happened between us in the alley across town."

Sasuke started, turning around to face Naruto.

"And well, I know you've been holding back for whatever reason. I can feel it in your body, Sasuke. When you're ready to cross that invisible line, I can feel everything inside you hold back. You're like a rubber band and rubber bands eventually do recoil back. I don't want to stress you on my account." Naruto sighed heavily out his nose, running a hand distractedly through his hair.

"I guess what I'm trying to say, and failing miserably, is that it's whatever Sasuke. Do what you want. I'm not some little virgin schoolgirl that's gonna squeal no at the very last second. I'm a grown man, one that you're in a relationship with. You shouldn't have to hold back."

Naruto paused, before glancing around and realizing he was pushed back on the bed, Sasuke looming over him. "Wait...how? when?"

"While, you were monologuing on about something poetic, I decided to take matters into my own hands. We're in a bedroom. And yeah, there's a house full of people, so what. Time to put these heavy wooden walls to use, right?"

Naruto's Adam's apple bobbed visibly as he swallowed his retort. As Sasuke maneuvered his body so that their hips aligned perfectly, Naruto wiggled unceremoniously beneath him.

"Is it too late to play the virgin schoolgirl card?"

Sasuke glared for effect and yanked up Naruto's shirt in one swift movement. "Take it like a man."

"A man lying down, that is," the other muttered under his breath, fanning his fingers out into Sasuke's dark tresses while the other applied suction with his mouth on Naruto's nipples.

"You know, that old man slept here. This is kind of naughty."

"Yeah, will you move your leg to the left a little bit?" Sasuke quipped back, raising his head from Naruto's chest.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me," came Naruto's reply, along with a complimentary eye-roll.

"God, shut up Naruto!"

The only reason Naruto was being mouthy, Sasuke knew, was because he was irritated that he wasn't being the dominant one in their relationship so far. It was a guy thing, really. Sasuke eventually abandoned Naruto's upper half and went straight for the goods.

He blew on the tip, enjoying the shudder that careened through Naruto's body and ended in is.

"You-You're not going to put your- OH GOD, YOU ARE! Sasuke! That's sick, even for you!"

Sasuke bit down lightly to prove his point and Naruto submerged into a half-literate state, growling and panting as Sasuke sucked him off to completion.

Sasuke rolled to Naruto's side, stretching out next to him. His head lolled when Naruto emitted a disgruntled sound.

"You always do that. Get me off, and just leave yourself."

"It's not important what I need--"

"And things like that! You can't keep talking like that, Sasuke. That you care more about me than yourself. After this trip ends, you and I both know we can't keep seeing each other. I'm going home, to Texas, and you're going home, too."

"I figured as much," Sasuke sighed, throwing an arm over his eyes to block out the sunlight coming in through the windows. "But until then, don't worry about me. If you choose to do something, I want it to be of your own accord, not because you need to repay me."

They lay in silence after that, broken only by the muffled sounds of tourists tramping through the house. Suddenly, Naruto broke out in soft giggles, spreading his arms out in an angel fashion over the bedspread.

"We are such creeps. People are going to come into this room, admire this bed, sit on it, run their hands over it and never realize that I just came on it."

Sasuke started, punching Naruto lightly in the shoulder. "I wasn't even thinking about that until you said something, asshole. Come on, we need to get out of here."

It was only when they were back out on the crowded roads of Bangkok did the both of them realize the irony in their situation. Who knows what old man Jimmy Thompson did in that bed before he died, either.


	15. Chapter 15

**Gaikokujin**

_:a whole new world:_

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: Hello. :) This chapter is pretty short compared to previous ones and it jumps around a bit but I don't think the shifts are anything too drastic. Next chapter is going to be the last.**

**Mood Song: Rehab - Rihanna**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

_Day 21_

_Bangkok, Thailand - countryside, Laos_

* * *

Six days later and Sasuke felt like he couldn't remember living anywhere other than Thailand. All the sight-seeing was starting to wear on him; actually everyone seemed a little burnt out. So when Gai approached them that evening and told them that border patrol officials in Myanmar were ceasing tourist flow due to a shipment of crates with a bomb scare and that they wouldn't be visiting and ultimately cutting their trip short, no one seemed to care.

"Laos is still on our map. I promised this special little lady here that we'd be visiting her birth country no matter what," Gai explained, ruffling Hinata's hair with a free hand. She blushed deeply before shaking Gai's hand off her head.

"Unfortunately though, my brother and I will not be able to finish the trip with all of you," Temari spoke suddenly. This must have been news to Gai if the down-trodden expression on his face was any clue. "Our duty is to our country whenever it arises and despite the fun I've had --we've all had-- our people need us here at the moment."

Sasuke glanced over at Ino to see how she was taking in this news about Kankuro staying behind. She had grown rather close to him throughout the entire trip as a good friend. They had been inseparable since the beginning. She seemed a little taken-aback but was otherwise okay.

"Well...I have good news to surprise you all with. Two of my employees have taken it upon themselves to fly back here and tour Laos with us. In fact, Lee and Tenten are at the airport right now, and they should be arriving here later tonight," Gai rushed in in the hopes to turn the expressions back to glee.

Despite the fact that Lee was a good kid, Sasuke groaned inwardly. With him and Gai together, things were going to go back to a slapstick comedy and combined with hot-headed, feminist Tenten, he knew he was in for a few migraines along the way. But they were only staying in Laos for about five days so hopefully he wouldn't go insane in the meantime.

After everyone sluggishly disappeared to their rooms to pack, Sasuke found himself alone in the large sitting room, blankly staring at his reflection in the black television. Five days. He had only five days left with Naruto.

Heaving a sigh, he cradled his head into his hands, breathing quietly out of his nose to help him relax. He really needed to start getting used to experiencing things that were not the norm. Like the overwhelming homesickness for the loud Texan that had suddenly washed over him as he realized their time together was limited.

Rays of sunlight from the dying sun found their way into the room, washing his face over with a golden sheen. He stared unblinking out the window, into the harsh light until it brought tears to his eyes.

"Hey, what're you zoning out for, huh?" Naruto's voice came next to him and Sasuke started, feeling embarrassed that he hadn't heard Naruto enter.

"Oh, uh...just thinking," Sasuke replied, trying to blink away the moisture from his eyelashes without Naruto noticing. It wasn't that he was crying; it was just a normal bodily reaction from staring into the sun. But somehow telling Naruto that seemed stupid and pointless.

If there was something wrong with him, Naruto was already attuned enough to his body language he would have known the second he entered the room. Nevertheless, Naruto slid onto the divan next to him and leaned into his shoulder.

"Hey, guess what? I quit smoking," Naruto spoke softly, keeping his words precise and low and Sasuke knew something serious was about come filtering out. Something that could make or break him.

"Oh really? You decided to keep true to your word after seeing that one woman?" Sasuke tried to keep the amusement in his voice.

"Actually, I quit because of you. But if you want to bypass the mushy and say it _was_ because of that woman, then go right on ahead." Another blinding, heart-melting smile shocked Sasuke into a smile of his own without his knowing, and he found himself leaning all his weight evenly onto Naruto's side.

"Hey, hey! Don't fall asleep on me. I came to ask you something important but instead I find you out here being Mr. Emo."

Damn, Sasuke thought dryly. So he did notice. Naruto grasped his hand and pulled it around his body, sliding Sasuke's fingers into his left front pocket. His brow furrowed as his fingertips glided over something smooth and plastic, and as he traced up the synthetic feel to the oily residue around the lid, he suddenly realized with clarity what Naruto had come to ask him.

"We have an hour and a half left in this country. Let's make of it what we will."

It was surprisingly cool in their room, feeling the soft breeze blowing across Sasuke's dampened hair. His body ached from being bent in half but Naruto was pushing so deep and so slow that Sasuke could focus on nothing but that. He didn't know when Naruto decided he was going to take the initiative, but he does know that he's sure glad he did.

It wasn't moments after they were in the room alone that Naruto jumped him from behind and lavished his neck with kisses and love-bites. Sasuke was on the bed seconds afterward.

What he needed most right now though was for Naruto to hurry up. His erection was heavy and painful on his stomach, but that same unselfish part of him that came out when Naruto was around forced him to leave it alone until Naruto came first.

Biting back a cry, Sasuke rose up to meet Naruto's thrusts as they started finally picking up in speed. Naruto panted above him, almost like a dog, but Sasuke found it endearing, rising up to kiss his the boy's already swollen mouth.

Naruto glanced at him then and quirked his lips into a small grin. A finger bumped under Sasuke's chin playfully and then those same hands ran down his thighs. Without meaning to, Sasuke found himself shuddering his release.

He frowned slightly at the mess he made but any protest was quickly shot down as Naruto leaned forward and lapped at his stomach and now-limp penis. Sasuke moaned softly at the sight, feeling especially pampered.

He tangled one hand in Naruto's hair before using the other to trace down Naruto's spine, dipping in between the shallow hollows of his vertebrae. Naruto leant forward and smashed their mouths together in a sloppy kiss, rolling his hips forward in one final moment before losing it.

If Naruto was good-looking any other time in his life, he was exceptionally hot with an expression of sated bliss on his face. He rolled off Sasuke to lie next to him on the bed, folding his arms behind his head and shivering at the cool breeze on his skin.

Sasuke methodically took the top sheet and ran it over Naruto's body, cleaning him off before tossing it into a corner of the room.

"Hmmm," Naruto sighed, closing his eyes and cuddling closer to Sasuke. "Wake me up when they say it's time to leave."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at how quickly Naruto fell asleep after sex, putting a bad name to guys everywhere. He smoothed the sweaty hair back from the man's forehead, smiling softly to himself as he did so.

"Thank you, Naruto. You don't realize it but meeting you has probably been the best thing in my life to date."

* * *

It was nearly eleven at night before Tenten and Lee showed up; jetlagged but eager to go out again. Sasuke found himself literally dragging both his and Naruto's bags --Naruto included-- to the van. The man slid easily onto the wide back seat however, where he stayed, snoring great monsters of sounds.

Everyone seemed the same though. Those that had napped were groggy from not enough sleep and those that hadn't were running on pure adrenaline. Sasuke stretched out next to Naruto where room permitted and blinked up at the twinkling stars out the back window, surprising himself with a yawn so large his jaw popped.

_A sharp bell rang in the soft blue-ish haze that surrounded him. It sounded like the bells they rang in his high school, but he couldn't be for certain. Itachi was next to him, sitting cross-legged and reading some financial planner. The man's hair was grown out to his shoulders, much different than the conservative look he had now._

_He, at 23, seemed too young to be interested in those sorts of things. Sasuke looked down at his hands. The nails were short, and there was dirt trapped beneath them. It was off. His hands didn't look like that anymore._

_Not since he grew up and traded in his skateboard for a palm pilot. _

_The bell kept ringing next to him, and he got the feeling that maybe they _were_ inside his old school. Itachi spoke up next to him; the first sound he had heard other than the bell._

_"Do you think our household income exceeds that of the normal average family?"_

It was the darkest he had seen it get at night once he awoke from the nap he must have dozed off into. The dashboard of the van lit up Gai's profile towards him where he noticed the man quietly toking on a cigarette. All the heads around him were either in the seats or against the windows asleep.

The back of his neck ached from where he had been propped against Naruto's hip. The man suddenly shifted on the seat to lay on his back, and Sasuke found his cheek pressed onto the warm flesh of belly.

Pretty soon, Naruto's comforting scent lulled him back into a boneless state and the last thing he remembered seeing was the thin curl of smoke from Gai's dying cigarette.

_His mother was scrubbing a shirt with such vigor that it wouldn't surprise Sasuke if it dissolved into the water. She met his 5-year old eyes over the tub, sweeping a loose damp strand of hair behind her ear._

_"When the time comes, you marry a girl who knows how to do laundry. Knows how to take care of her man. And in return you love her unconditionally; like I love you. Marriage is about respect. Remember this my son."_

_She flung down the shirt into the soapy water, wiping her hands on the hem of her shirt and shooting Sasuke a warm smile._

_"But sometimes you gotta understand there is more to your wife's life than laundry. And that is called compromise."_

He was woken by a muffin being shoved into his face.

The smell of blueberry instantly had him alert. He had barely sat up before Naruto _bolted_ up in half the time it took Sasuke to realize what was going on, and snatched said treat from Tenten's hand, having been awoken by the smell the same way.

"Oh god, normal food." With that, he crammed the entire thing in his mouth, closing his eyes and groaning in what could only be sheer bliss.

As if realizing what he had just done, he grinned sheepishly, somehow oblivious to how much he resembled a squirrel with his cheeks bulged out so.

"Ha, here Sasuke, there's plenty more." Tenten reached into the plastic sack she was carrying and dropped two muffins still in their wrappers in Sasuke's lap. "Lee's coming around with coffee in a sec."

"Are we in Laos yet? Naruto yawned, stretching his fingertips behind him so that they caught the morning sunlight outside.

"We've only been on the road for a night. I don't think we're quite there."

Naruto's brow furrowed together. "I'm starting to get really homesick."

Sasuke turned away and bit his lip; trying to remember Naruto had a home all along that wasn't with him, no matter how much he would have wished for it to be. That thought only made him bite down harder though.

* * *

In essence, Laos was just like Hinata. Demure, quaint, yet with a beautiful ethereal quality that you could only fall in love with. It was a poorer country that sold its worth in agriculture, but the people seemed more alive than anywhere else he had ever been.

The young children crowded around the roadside and gawked up at the newcomers with unguarded fascination. Each muddy face reflected back a hard nature; one that couldn't be beaten down. It was enlightenment in its purest form; showing Sasuke there was a world apart from his.

Another center of universe that he wasn't welcome in. He was too rich, too polished to even hope to try. Maybe he would quit his job and leave; move to a third-world country where his laptop was considered society's Holy Grail. Yet the idea of no money and no technology was as foreign as the cherubic faces alongside the dirt road.

"Laos has no stable infrastructure so get used to seeing a lot more villages like this," Gai shouts from the front of the van, simulating an amusement party ride as he swerves around potholes.

"I wonder how far we're going in," Naruto comments beside him, leaning out the window to throw candy to the kids.

"Why?"

Naruto looks back. "Remember Cambodia?" he deadpans.

"What makes you think we're going to be snatched up again?"

Naruto turned back to the road, tossing his last piece of candy into an empty ditch. "People that live in these conditions have a lot less to lose."

Sasuke scooted closer, leaning back and resting his head on the man's shoulder. "It isn't going to happen again, that I can promise you. With me, you're safe."


	16. Chapter 16

Gaikokujin

_**:a whole new world:**_

**Chapter Sixteen**

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**Author: shutupandsing**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: **_Backpacking through Southeast Asia with thirteen other strangers wasn't Sasuke's idea of a stress-reliever. Especially after meeting one jaded Westerner who can't seem to accept his own culture. NaruSasuNaru, AU._

**Comments: Screw the plot bunnies man. No sooner than I'm finished with this, I've already got another idea swimming around. I wanted to take a break! Oh well, enjoy the last chapter. :)**

**Mood Song: Exo-Politics by Muse**

**Disclaimer: Please refer to your browser and read. Thanks.**

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_Day 22_

_Bangkok, Thailand - countryside, Laos_

A couple of towns over they stopped at the cleanest hotel they could find, splitting up into their mandatory groups. The rooms were a faded yellow and smelt like aged paint covered up with cinnamon air freshener. It was perfect.

Sasuke collapsed onto their bed, rubbing his cheek against the rough duvet, feeling a five o'clock shadow creeping along his jaw at eleven in the morning. The bed dipped beneath his hips and a solid weight pressed against his back.

Flipping over, Sasuke hooked his fingers into the golden tresses above without hesitation and brought Naruto to him, moving his lips lazily over the others.

"Tell me, when did you honestly start enjoying this trip?" Naruto questioned.

"Second day. First day. When you fixed my suitcase in the airport."

"Hm, that's close to when I started appreciating it, too." It was quiet for a moment before Sasuke pushed himself off the bed. The silence was driving him wild and he needed to go do something important before he psyched himself out of it and fell into Naruto's unknown seduction.

"I'm going out for a while. You should get some rest, you still look tired."

Naruto nodded once before rolling into the spot Sasuke left, curling his arms underneath the pillow and burying his face into it. "Be careful, bring back some food while you're at it."

The streets of the town ran rampant with people; all busy with the normal hum of their lives. Women briskly walked in bright sarongs, balancing their load in front of them or atop their head. A muddle of children crouched in the dirt of an alley, rolling a deflated soccer ball between them. They looked up and smiled at Sasuke as he passed; one even lifting a hand to wave.

Shops lined the streets and Sasuke entered one that had homemade jewelry hanging in the front window. The heavy oaken door creaked under its weight and signaled his entrance to the elderly man behind the counter, who was flipping through a tattered magazine.

The inside was dim and smelled of papaya and sawdust from years past. Underneath the glass counter was an assortment of bright and gaudy jewelry blinking up at him. He scanned the rings carefully, spotting a dull gold in the back. An iridescent opal was set in the middle of four cascading gold vines.

He glanced at the price tag above the ring and inwardly reeled. At that price, Naruto damn well better love it like a child because it would make Sasuke, for probably the first in a long time, absolutely and irrevocably broke.

"I see you eyeing that ring. Thinking of getting it for some special person?" the old man questioned, suddenly coming to life. "I've been selling antique Laotian jewelry here for years and in all my years after moving here from the U.S., I can tell you that is a handsome ring."

"The price is pretty handsome too."

The old man smiled. "Tell ya what. If you do end up deciding you want that one, I'll shine it up for you all nice and neat-like free of charge."

"Done deal."

Less than a half hour later, Sasuke walked out of the small shop, ring box tucked away deep in his inner jacket pocket. It's weight bumped against his thigh and reminded him it wasn't going to be as hard as he was making it out to be. Just give it to him right before they go home. It'd be the right thing to do.

A girl blocked the narrow alley path he was taking to get back to the hotel. She sat, squatting in the dirt, a trail of tears making their way down her face. Although her back was mostly to him he could tell she couldn't be any older than 13.

Her hand clutched at the hem of her faded blue skirt in a methodical motion. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked gently, moving so she could see him. There was a huge possibility she didn't know a lick of English, but hopefully she would at least understand by the tone of his voice.

She shrank down however, falling from her crouched position, legs splayed behind her. The front of her skirt was dirty and spotted with blood.

...._Oh._

He wasn't well-versed in female bodily functions but he knew a first-timer when he saw one. He couldn't just leave her like this; it was obvious she didn't understand what was happening to her body.

"Hey, c'mon," he spoke as gently as possible, pulling her to shaky feet. They needed to get to a store, but he didn't want to humiliate her by dragging her through a crowded street. Bending low, he motioned for her to climb onto his back. She did so hesitantly, murmuring something into his ear that could have been thank you in Laotian.

They entered a convenience store he saw back on a corner. Glancing down the aisles, he found exactly what he was looking for. Snatching up Kotex and the smallest package of travel woman's underwear he could find, they disappeared easily into his inner coat pocket.

The single restroom was at the end of the aisle and Sasuke briskly walked towards it, shutting and locking the door behind them. The girl hopped off his back instantly and backed into the corner. She didn't understand he was helping her anymore, only that a strange foreign man had dragged her into a public bathroom and locked the door.

Making sure she was watching, he laid the pads on the edge of the small sink and tore through the package of panties with his teeth. Choosing a neutral blue, he opened the pads.

Okay, he could do this. It wasn't brain surgery. He unwrapped the pad, removing all the sticky paper lining before attaching it securely in the underwear, wrapping the wings around the underside.

He held it out to the girl. She stared for a few minutes before snatching it quickly from his hands. Sasuke quickly turned as the girl stared at him pointedly. It was actually kind of awkward doing this, being here.

Back home, he could have been charged with indecency with a child. But here, in this remote village, this tiny speck of existence on the planet, Sasuke felt like a father.

The young girl started talking then, babbling away in her native tongue. Her hands hid her soiled panties behind her back, before inching towards the trashcan and dumping them in when she thought Sasuke wasn't looking.

He smiled at her embarrassment and handed her the remaining package of pads, pointing at the diagram of instructions written in Laotian on the side. She quickly read over them, pulled a face, and stuffed both those and the extra underwear in the large front pocket of her skirt.

She must have remembered her skirt was ruined however because she pulled up at the hem, attempting to bunch the fabric together so the blood stains weren't visible. Before her eyes could well up from her fruitless actions, Sasuke lifted her to sit on the edge of the sink. Gathering the skirt in his hands he held the spot under cold water, rubbing at the stain till it was mostly gone. Now it looked like she wet herself but a quick trip outside in the heat would dry the spot quickly.

Before Sasuke could react, the girl threw her arms around his neck. She talked to him excitedly before hopping down and leaving him alone in the bathroom. He made sure everything was thrown away before exiting himself, making eye contact with the owner for the first time.

The man glanced at him once and turned away. If he knew that Sasuke had stolen from his store, he didn't show it. His options now were to go back to the hotel and wait and see what everyone else planned. Or he could experience more of Laos by himself.

The latter seemed more appealing but carrying such an expensive ring on his person made him uneasy. What if he were to be robbed? Then he would be broke and ring-less. He never had to worry about this sort of stuff back home...

Before he could fully make up his mind, his phone vibrated angrily in his pocket. Naruto's name was on the screen. He flipped it open and barely got it to his ear before the man's voice came yelling from the other end.

"Sasuke, where are you? You need to get back to the hotel quick. Laos seems to be having the same border problems as Myanmar and they're talking about closing them down. Hurry if you don't want to be stuck here."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming. Give me about ten minutes, I'm not that far."

He flipped the phone shut and slid into his pocket to bump alongside the ring box. Their trip was being cut even shorter, how bizarre. He swallowed down the lump of panic that kept sticking in his throat and resolved to let Naruto know before he had the chance to fly back home.

Gai and Naruto met him at the gate, ushering him into the loaded van; obviously they were in a great hurry to get a move on.

"I thought you were gonna grab some food?" Naruto whined once they were seated.

"Sorry, I was a little preoccupied and when you called, I wasn't focusing on food. You'll survive. So why are we rushing to the airport like we're criminals?"

"I overheard Neji tell Gai that the little domestic Myanmar was having with their border control was being extended this far so if we don't get out of here before they seal off the border, we're stuck in this country till the issue's resolved. And that could take _years._"

"Good idea for us to leave now."

Naruto slouched in the seat, rubbing his growling stomach. "I don't think it's making much difference. Everyone's getting a little homesick, even Hinata and Neji chose to stay behind to go see their family instead of seeing us off."

"Poor Kiba."

"Oh no, Hinata took him home to meet her folks. I'm sure that will go over well," Naruto said with a hint of mirth. "So you never did tell me what took you so long this morning?"

"Oh well, I--I met a girl.."

"A girl?" Naruto's face took couldn't decide whether it wanted to be fierce or disbelieving.

"A little girl." Sasuke raised his hand about 4 feet off the ground. "A little girl who was becoming not so little anymore. I helped her; she was starting her first menstrual period."

"That's nasty. Ugh, and you had to spring the scientific term on me too!" Naruto's smile covered up the fake disgust. "Congratulations, dude. You were somebody's daddy for an hour."

"That's what I thought, too. I realized I might want kids sooner than I originally thought." Sasuke was reminded of the heavy burden of the ring in his coat pocket.

"Well, if you ever do become one, I think it's best if you leave the whole bleeding crap up to another woman. Gross, why am I still talking about this? Why are _we_ having this conversation?!"

"Sorry."

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They were hauling ass. It was the only way to put it. Sasuke hadn't known the poor rickety van could get up to those speeds. The nearest airport was only a few miles down the road but to get there, they had to pass through a deep gully in the road, which of course was flooded with muddy rainwater.

Gai eased the van into a stop at the top of their hill. He threw it into park and stood, surveying the site before him. He then turned to the group, a smirk on his face Sasuke hadn't seen before.

"So, who wants to go home?" The entire van shot a hand into the air.

"Okay, good. The only way you're going to get there then is if you get out and swim to the other side. I can get the van across but it needs to be as light as possible."

Sasuke's arm slowly sunk to his side. Swim. To the other side. Gai must have been lighting up before they left the hotel. The water was only about mid-torso high but still.

"Oh," Gai added suddenly, "the last plane out of here will be," he glanced at his watch, "oh, about twenty minutes from now."

The entirety of the van swept like a hurricane to the front and out the door before Gai could finish wiping the silly grin off his face. Sasuke followed Naruto's lead and took his jacket and shirt off, holding them both above his head. The water was warm up until they got to the deepest part and he felt the prickling sensation of goosebumps rise up on his skin.

Water didn't have a distinct color when separated from the large entity, but this giant mud puddle they were wading through was the exact same color of the dirt beneath it. Shiny oil rings floated on top of the water, causing Sasuke to grimace when his forearms became coated in the greasy substance.

Naruto was too busy laughing at the expression on Sasuke's face to notice the unseen hole in front of him. He stepped down into it and was quickly submerged up to his shoulders.

"I used to love doing this as a kid, but this isn't fun," he mumbled half-heartedly, skipping ahead of everyone as the water began receding into dry land.

There wasn't a chance they could get through the airport without being stared at. As their van rumbled up to the entrance to the terminal, everyone jumped out, gathering up all their bags as quickly as possibly. A bored-sounding voice announced above them that their flight wasn't due to take off for another fifteen minutes.

Gai handed the keys off to Neji, telling him to keep the vehicle in his possession until border problems were cleared up and then take it back down to their headquarters in Vietnam. TenTen and Ino trudged towards the ladies' room in the hopes of drying off some before they boarded.

Sasuke felt awkward standing there, dripping wet, and not knowing where to go from there. Everyone was going home right this moment and it was only just now hitting him. Gai looked a little bewildered and that he might cry. As if on cue, he rushed forward and embraced Sasuke and Naruto around the necks, squeezing them together and to him.

"You two." He kept saying those same words over and over. You two. Almost as if he was trying to merge the two names into one and therefore force the persons together as well. _Saruto._ _Nasuke._

Sasuke glanced over at Naruto who rolled his eyes, as if to say, "_this was expected."_ He smiled to himself and began steeling his resolve. He was going to need all the courage it took to get him through the next couple minutes. Finally Gai released them and tore off to find tissues. Lee shrugged helplessly and followed, lest Gai get lost before the plane took off.

Sasuke stood there, quite still, until he was sure Naruto's attention had landed on him. He was as straight as possible to hide the tiny tremors in his legs and shoved his hand in his coat pocket.

"This was what I was out doing this morning." He removed the simple black ring case and tossed it at Naruto, who caught it easily. The blonde man glanced up, confusion lit across his features.

"Go home and fix it with your girl. She needs you more than she realizes. And you need to marry her." Sasuke bit out the words one at time, telling himself this was what was for the best all along. He had a good life in Japan, a successful company, and friends where he hadn't noticed before. And Naruto had a even better life out west; a life that had seemed inconceivable from his time in Japan. And so Sasuke would stop thinking of him as wayward _gaikokujin._

Naruto opened the case and, like the first time Sasuke met him, a blinding sun-out-of-your-ass smile took over his face. "I couldn't pick out something more perfect." He looked up. "Thank you, Sasuke."

The intercom sounded then, informing the terminal that the flight to Tokyo was boarding now. Sasuke stared at his feet, shifting his bags around him. "That's me."

"I know." Naruto's voice was impossibly close and when Sasuke met his eyes, he was there, wrapping him in a hug that threatened to crush his lungs in a good way. "You take care of yourself, y'hear?"

Sasuke nodded against his shoulder and pushed away, quickly turning and pulling his luggage behind him. An encompassing feeling was creeping up from his gut and he just wanted to get as far away from Naruto as possible.

It was only until he was seated comfortably on the plane that he rummaged around his luggage for his phone. It showed four unread messages. The first he opened said : _I'm going 2 take, this ring, and make it in2 something. For you. W/out you, I wouldn't be here. And I certainly wouldn't b proposing in 12 or so hours. Don't forget 2 live life like it's meant to b lived. And don't for a second start 2 thinking I'm ever going 2 forget someone like u. Catch ya around? Maybe on another one of these hellish trips?_

Sasuke reclined his seat, plugging in his headphones and staring comfortably out the small window to his left. The bright blue of the sky consumed his vision and he smiled to himself, happy. No matter what sky they all shared, it was a new world for each of them to overtake and conquer. Skies blended into one another easily, but worlds crashed. Sasuke couldn't remember a time he was grateful his had.

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**A little over a year ago, this idea popped into my head. Now a year and nearly three months later, this idea has finally run its course. /brb celebrating forever**


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